Empress
by Giraffe on the Moon
Summary: Yuffie must finally assume her duties as Empress. Creative liberties give her a host of half siblings which could lead to a chaotic future for the country. Yuffie finally accepts responsibility. Please review!
1. The Letter

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Final Fantasy VII characters. All of this is a work of fiction based off of that created by Square Soft. Don't sue me! I just like to write!

Chapter 1: The Letter

Skin, bone, muscle, tendons. That was all she was. Blood, nerves, cartilage. There was so little holding her together, connecting her small joints and animating the delicate and complex maneuvers of her thin fingers. She was too small for the musculature in body to overpower anyone, but the sleek limbs were honed to overcome that. Sharp eyes and pricked ears governed her lean frame, coordinating her movements with the precision of a surgeon's knife.

Her sharp pixie features were enraptured with movement. Every form flowed gracefully, ignoring a rule that enforced clumsiness in her normal mannerisms, the waste of energy that her excited gesticulations caused. Every form fell into place as naturally as the leaves returning every spring to the trees. She was in her element, drawing on whatever energy she believed animated and flowed through her. Everything was only pulled together by her frail mortality, wrapped nicely beneath lightly tanned skin, festooned with a boyish bob tumbling into her eyes, and edged by the Conformer dancing with her in the forms.

Reeve never got tired of it. He came every morning to watch her, and relished her delight in motion and energy. Yuffie existed on her own plain now, oblivious to everything that didn't exist within the four bland walls of the holographic training facility Shelk had developed. And Yuffie was her favorite practice partner, pitting her mind and holographic masterpieces against Yuffie's own strength. This morning was no exception.

"Are you ready Yuffie?" Shelk's voice sounded. Programming the holograms was her specialty, her passion. She loved the challenge, the dissection of movement, and the programming of data relating to styles. Yuffie had progressed remarkably as she and Shelk drew a deeper and deeper understanding of style, strengths, and weaknesses.

The Conformer soared back into Yuffie's outstretched hand, and the ninja grinned. She turned and cast a look back at the command room, but the one-way mirror obscured Shelk. Yuffie only saw her reflection.

"Oh yeah baby! Bring on the holly jolly fakers!" Yuffie crowed, pumping her fist into the air and casting her Conformer in what look like careless excitement. She knew exactly where it was going and what angle it would take, and her fingers closed tightly over it without missing a beat. Her muscles were warm. It was time to move from simple the couplets of movement to full sonnets.

And just like every morning, Yuffie stopped being human, and became a dance. She wasn't a dancer, she wasn't the music, she was the dance itself. This was Reeve's favorite part, when her crazy smile nearly split her face in half, and she engaged in combat. She was so fast he hardly ever figured out what it was she did. But Shelk let him sit in sometimes to watch as she replayed tapes of Yuffie's performance, picking out flaws in technique and reprogramming her holograms accordingly.

Yuffie was in top form this morning, her Conformer sailing through massive numbers of enemies, as she wove and wound her way through them. They posed little threat for her, however they swarmed. So, as her muscles were properly warmed up, Shelk sent out the ensuing waves. Yuffie kept going, with the blasts of materia sailing through the room in colorful explosions and flashing in her eyes like fireworks. They had been working on dealing with massive amounts of opponents, and Yuffie was progressing nicely.

"Sir, sorry to interrupt," came the voice of one of his subordinates. Reeve looked back, curious as to the disturbance. "There are messages here for you and Ms. Kisaragi."

"From who?" Reeve extended a hand, and the boy gave him a printout. "Ah, Barret. I wonder what he's up to these days?" He smiled, opening the letter. It was a request for WRO assistance with a minor problem located at one of the old Mako reactors outside of Nibelheim. Reeve nodded. "Have two squads dispatched to Nibelheim."

"Sir!" the young man saluted, and then swung around and hurried off.

The second letter was from Godo. Reeve looked back towards Yuffie, who was immersed suddenly in the aftermath of a massive Fire explosion, her eyes gleaming in delight. The flames cleared, leaving soot on her cheeks and clothes. She was positively ecstatic.

He waited until she was done, and then made his presence known by strolling in. Yuffie glanced at him, wiping some sweat and soot from her face, and grinned. "Aw, Shelk! You know Reeve ain't a challenge! Why'd you make a Reeve hologram?" she called. Reeve chuckled.

"No. I'm here with a message, not pick fights with you," Reeve smiled. Yuffie strapped her conformer back on, grinning devilishly.

"Where to this time? I'm excited now!"

"I don't know. This one comes from your father," he extended the sealed envelope, and the smile faded quietly from her cheeks. She hesitated, and then reached out to take it.

"I hope nothing happened to Wutai," she frowned, opening it quickly and racing over the words. She breathed out a perplexed sigh, and closed the letter. "He wants me to come for a visit? What on earth for?" She just shrugged her shoulders, and looked at Reeve. "Did you need me right now? I gotta go baby-sit my old man. He's missing me again." Her eyes flicked upwards, as if asking for patience.

"Not really, no. Is everything alright?"

"Something about him being really lonely."

"Excuse me! I'm looking for one Kisaragi Yuffie!" called a man's voice, and both their head snapped towards the intrusion. Reeve didn't recognize the strange man at all, but a blast of wind shot past him. He blinked a few times, and found that Yuffie was suddenly hanging off the man in the swallowtail suit.

"Kale! What are you doing here?" Yuffie was beaming with that vibrant radiance she never ceased to emit. The man with mussed black hair and pristine clothing grinned down at her.

"I'm here to see you of course! How has my favorite Materia thief been?" He did the most shocking thing Reeve had ever seen. His tall frame bent and he planted a kiss on the top of her head, and Yuffie playfully pushed him off.

"I haven't had a cootie shot in ages! I might get sick now!" she complained. Reeve stood there slack-jawed. The mere thought that she would allow anyone to kiss her was mind boggling, and besides that, he had always thought she was partial to Vincent. Hadn't he seen that faint pull between them, the shadows of affection playing just beneath Yuffie's skin, not even sure of how to express or display care for someone so dear to her and so far away?

"I made sure I was clean before I came within fifty miles of you," Kale promised, making an X over his heart. "You're stunning, Yuffie! Look at you! Positively beautiful!" His attention suddenly turned to her appearance, and he placed a hand on her cheek with such an intimate smile that Reeve's head spun. What did this mean?

"Aw shut up! I'm still two toothpicks wide and shaped the same," Yuffie pulled his hand away and punched him playfully. "But I could take you in about three seconds! You wanna go?" Her fists were up, batting the air in demonstration.

"No, really! Whoever says that is blind!" Reeve straightened up. He'd always liked Yuffie, mostly because she made him smile and they'd spent enough time gambling and pulling pranks on each other throughout the Meteor fiasco that she was something of a sister to him. As such, his brotherly protection flared. Who was this man that dared to touch her, and why did he find himself worthy?

"Yeah, yeah. Blah, blah, blah. You were always way too much of a diplomat. What's up?"

"Actually, I did come on business. You know me," his smile was still familiar, but it wasn't as playful and childish. It brought a more suitable look to his face, but he still eyed her as if he owned her. Not in the sense of possession, but in the sense of long years of acquaintance and intimate attachment. "I came to warn you about this." He tugged the letter out of her hand. "You know you're going to be 21 now right? You haven't forgotten how to count or anything?"

"Last time I checked, two and one make three," she answered, lifting her nose in the air. But her voice didn't have the same spark in it. Something was wrong.

"Ha, ha. But you know what I'm here for if you're 21, right?" Kale didn't look like he was quite happy either. "It means you have to come back. It's time for you to hang up your wings."

"…yeah," Yuffie smirked, and crossed her arms. She looked vulnerable to Reeve, her small frame drawn in with slightly hunched shoulders. That insanely, ever-present grin faded away, completely draining from her eyes now.

"Yuffie, what's happening? Who is this?" Reeve asked, approaching them. He wasn't able to contain himself anymore. Kale looked over at him, now seeming to notice him for the first time. Yuffie turned to him.

"Reeve…I have to put in my formal resignation from the WRO," she said, and a sinking feeling welled in the pit of Reeve's stomach.

"What? Why?"

"I have to go back to Wutai…It's time for me to…start acting more like an Empress." Something else was implied in that statement, and Reeve looked between she and this man. He was so tall to be Wutain.

"I see…" Reeve had always known Yuffie would have to go back someday, return to the Pagoda and get ready for ascension to the throne. He had known she couldn't always be the bridge holding Avalanche together. Cloud might have been the delivery boy, but it was Yuffie that bound them together. Cloud was their leader, but Yuffie was the eyes, ears, and desires of everyone in the group. She held on to their connections, held them close, and could hunt any of them down in a heartbeat. Even Vincent. Maybe not a heartbeat, but she could find Vincent Valentine faster then anyone else. "So, what'll happen after that?"

Yuffie was silent a moment, picking up pieces of her courage and arranging it in armor. It was a visible effort, and she was obviously distraught.

"I…won't get to leave," she answered, knowing full well what his question meant. It had nothing to do with the WRO, and everything to do with the way their lives were. Reeve wondered faintly if anyone really understood what it meant for Yuffie to be a princess. As far as he knew, he was the only one that lost any sleep over the thought that she'd be leaving one day.

"Oh…I see…"

"You must be Reeve. Yuffie tells me about you when she visits," Kale extended a hand. Reeve took in numbly, gazing at him blankly. Didn't this man know that part of the world was shattering? Yuffie was leaving…not just the WRO, but AVALANCHE. There was no way as ruler she could endanger herself like she always had. Worse then that, she would fall out of their lives.

"I haven't heard about you," Reeve replied. Kale shrugged.

"Yuffs doesn't really talk about me much to anyone. It's really very unfair, seeing as we grew up together," he cast her a melodramatically hurt look, but Yuffie wasn't in the mood for games. His face softened, and he put a hand on her shoulder. "I wanted to tell you before your father tried to lure you in. That's all. I've already made most of the preparations. You can look them over when you get home, okay?"

"I don't really want to think about that right now," Yuffie answered, shrugging his hand off. "Anyway, why don't you go get yer stuff. I'll be along soon. The cook here has this great pastry, and I wanna snatch a few more before I go!" she tried to brighten, and Kale only nodded. He turned and went without looking back, and Yuffie turned to Reeve. "I, um…I have to go. That man, he's my betrothed…we've been set to marry each other for ages," she scratched the back of her head.

Ah. That explained a great deal about her struggles around Vincent. It made him sad. He'd watched her for five years, and seen how her eyes sparked and her face brightened when she saw him and how she delighted in ruffling his feathers. Vincent had only ever been really angry with her once or twice. He humored her, and he let her bring animation into his stiff, unreadable existence.

"I guess I always knew it would come," Reeve smiled at her faintly. She nodded, and shrugged her shoulders, opening her palms as if to say 'oh well.' He couldn't say he didn't want her to go back. It was her duty, and who was he to object? But, it just seemed like he should say something. "I…don't really want you to go back." She looked at him curiously. "I don't think the others realize how much you bring us together. You're certainly _my_ connection to everyone. What'll we do without you?"

"Aw, shucks, Reeve! If you weren't so old, I'd think you were in love with me!" she punched his arm playfully, but he could tell it made her happy. "But thanks. Good to hear someone else recognizes the beautiful justice fighting ninja of Wutai's most excellent worth and unequivocal talent!" She posed for him, throwing her head back. Reeve smiled, and did the most brotherly thing he could without thinking about it. He tossed an arm around her shoulder, and mussed that glossy, almost black hair. She laughed, pushing him off of her. There was some life back in her eyes.

"Yuffie!" Shelk's feet were making an uncharacteristic ruckus as she came down from the control room. "You're leaving? For good this time?" her usually even voice was higher then normal, edged in fear. Yuffie's smile faded a bit, but she nodded. "I…I don't want you to go!" Shelk clenched her hands into fists, her eyes on the ground. Rather then upset her, Yuffie's face grew brighter.

"C'mon kid! Think about the perks! You can come see me whenever you want in Wutai and get the _Royal_ treatment!" Yuffie put both her hands on Shelk's tiny shoulders, shaking her slightly. "It'll be great. I'm talking banquets and silk and all the handsome men you could ever want, right at your fingertips! They'll be real too, not virtual!" Yuffie winked, a promise in her smile. Shelk hesitated a moment, and then threw her arms around Yuffie's middle.

"Who'll challenge me?" she asked softly. Yuffie hugged her back.

"You know, some of those boys have been lookin' real hard at you. I bet you could get one of them to do this sorta thing with you. But pick a handsome one! They're always the strongest!" she admonished. "Not a girly handsome. They don't like to chip their nails. But a good one with a square jaw! No flat noses like mine!"

"You have the most Midgarean face I've ever seen!" Shelk shouted, throwing her head back to look at Yuffie. Yuffie curled her nose up.

"I take offense to that!" she yowled, taking both her hands and destroying Shelk's hair. The young woman wailed, as Yuffie grinned impishly. "Don't you insult me! I'm 100 Wutai! This isn't the last you've seen of the great Yuffie Kisaragi!" She reached down and hugged Shelk tightly once again. "Now get outta here! You've got duties! I know you do! You can't spend all your time playing computer games!" Yuffie swatted and shooed Shelk off, and turned back to Reeve. She was back to her normal self.

"Yuffie!" called the AI cat, dragging a life-size stuffed animal of himself after him. "Fer you!" he called. He presented the stuffed cat, grinning, with his whiskers twitching. "So ye don' forget!"

"Aw! Cait!" She grinned, hugging the stuffed animal. She bent and planted a kiss on the plush, furry face, and Cait Sith kicked at the floor in an 'aw shucks' sort of animation. Standing again, she looked at Reeve, hugging her doll. "So, can I get you to mail my junk out to me? I don't think it's really that much,"

"I guess I can manage. You know, I am losing my right hand," Reeve gave her a melodramatic sigh, still in shock that it was actually time to let her go. This was really it. "You'll send me an invitation, won't you? Send all of us an invitation?"

"Yeah. You guys are top on the list." She nodded, still hugging her stuff cat.

"Cid's here today. I'm sure he wouldn't mind dropping you off,"

"I was gonna ask the crawfish. It'll be my last time on an airship, ya know!" There was a mixture of glee and depression lacing her words. "At least I won't have to get motion sickness all the time any more. Hell, I probably won't do much leaving of the pagoda!" she cackled like a doomed prisoner, and rubbed her hands together. "They'll regret anything like that! I promise!"

"I wouldn't want to try you," Reeve held up his hands, watching the delight spread predatorily across her impish features.

"Let's go find the crustacean!" Yuffie linked arms with Reeve, as he had seen her do with Tifa or Aeris a time or two, and he obliged her by bending his arm. She dropped her head onto his shoulder, hugging the stuffed cat tightly. He patted her arm with a smile.

Cid was in the lounge, just coming to life. He was certainly _not_ a morning person. Not by a long shot. He stood with three cigarettes already mashed in an ashtray next to him, brooding with bloodshot eyes over a slow coffee pot.

"Fuckin' grandma percolator," he growled, tapping his fingers. "That's three cigarettes, pig bitch!" There was a string of other colorful swears, three distinct sentences of them, before the pilot realized that Yuffie and Reeve were approaching. "Woah, Reeve, you robbin' the cradle. 'Fraid that one ain't much but sticks and hinges."

"Shaddap! I need a ride," Yuffie released Reeve's arm, snatching a pastry from the tray next to the coffee pot.

"No can do, chicken bones. Today's my day off," Cid barked, grinning like a coyote.

"Pleeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaase!" Yuffie adopted the whining tone that drove Cid crazy. It annoyed him more because he had a difficult time denying her anything when she used, rather then the pitch of her voice. "Come on Cid, I really need a ride!"

"The Hell? You got two Chocobo legs, so go an' use 'em!" Cid huffed, frowning.

"But I wanted one last ride on the Shera," Yuffie frowned. Cid paused, and looked at her with his blood shot eyes real hard. He pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and wet his lips.

"What d'you mean 'last ride'?" he demanded.

"I have to go back to Wutai now," she replied. "I have to resign from the WRO."

"Shit kid! You can't go!" Cid burst before he could stop himself. "The Hell are we gonna do withoutcha?"

"Suffer a miserably boring existence," Yuffie answered, taking the pot of coffee and pouring him a mug full. Cid scratched his chin, the same desperate thoughts running through his head that Reeve was trying to wrestle with.

"…Getcher shit. Where the fuck are them lazy ass kids you assigned me?" Cid groused, taking the mug of coffee and jamming the cigarette back into his mouth. "You getcher scrawny tail down to the Shera in half and hour."

"Yes sir!" Yuffie gave him a sharp salute.


	2. Last Minute Declarations

**Disclaimer:** Still don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc. Kale and Doujima are my original blend though! Yipee! No lawsuits please. Allow me to keep my pennies for college. It's important (to me, anyway).

**A/N:** Thank you so much XxHowToSaveALifexX for reviewing! I'm putting these next coupla chapters up just because you thought to say something! And you'll just have to be surprised about the Yuffie pairing! Lemme know whatcha think!

Chapter 2: Last Minute Declarations

Kale was watching her too closely for her comfort. Yuffie turned and shot him an irritated look. "Isn't it enough you come to spirit me away? Do you have to _lurk_ too?" she demanded. Kale gave her a melancholy smile. "How's Doujima?" she tossed the question at him with only a little sincerity.

"She's fine," Kale took the bitterness without a blink. "Been doing lots of poetry and painting lately. Preparing for the wedding."

"Poor her," Yuffie rolled her eyes. She blew out an exasperated breath, and put her head down on the cool table of the Shera. This was not how she wanted to spend her last few hours with Cid and Reeve. There was a knock on the door, and it opened as she turned her head, feeling motion sickness devouring her insides.

"Here kiddo. Why doncha come up to the bridge?" Cid suggested, handing her a bagful of ice for her head. He even had it wrapped up in the cloth with scented herbs that soothed her clenched guts. Yuffie gave him a relieved grin, and took the hand he offered to help her up. "You still ain't over motion sickness? I figured as much as I have to drag you around you'd be over it by now," Cid grinned, plopping the bag on her forehead.

"I'll still get motion sickness when I'm eighty. Uuugghhhh…" she moaned, dropping her head against the arm he gave her as extra support. He smelled like cigarettes and engine oil, a very dangerous combination, but entirely his own. No one else in the world would ever smell the same.

"Don't know if I'll make it that far to see it," Cid gave her a crooked grin. He was coming up on fifty now, and she was almost twenty-one. He helped her to the deck, where her curiosity got the better of her.

"Can I drive?"

"Hell no! You ain't done nuthin' but crash shit!" Cid barked, glancing at the helm. "But…" he hesitated. "I guess you could help…"

So Yuffie found herself holding the helm in both hands, the bag of ice on top of her head. Cid hovered just behind her, his fingertips on her elbows to keep her steady.

"Woo hoo! I own this flyin' tug boat!" Yuffie crowed, and would have pumped her fists into the air if she wasn't afraid of knocking the helm in circles.

"It ain't no tug boat. She's a beauty," Cid groused, gently steering her a little more to the left. He glanced at his compass, and nodded. It was an honor for Yuffie to be allowed to even touch the helm. Cid gave no one that right – not ever – during the entire five years she'd known him. Coming near it could bring down an act of violence on the unlucky trespasser. "You ain't half bad. Got a steady hand." He complimented her, and Yuffie grinned her runaway grin.

"I'm the great ninja, Yuffie Kisaragi! There isn't anything I can't do!"

"'Sept shaddap," Cid answered with a crooked grin.

"Well yah! I think things cuz I wanna say 'em!"

"Yeah, yeah. Bring me a chair! And some tea!" Cid barked, and released her elbows. He took a careful step back, and Yuffie felt her stomach drop out. She was flying…on her own! All by herself! Cid trusted her that much!

"Wooo!!!!!!!!!!" she gave an excited whoop, making sure not to jostle anything around.

"You c'n fly all the way there if you like," Cid's chair scraped open, and he sat down. "Just keep her lined up on that compass spot I showed you."

"'Kay!" Yuffie nodded, and focused herself on the horizon and the compass needle.

"Anybody else know you're done?" Cid asked. She was glad he had sense enough not to try and beg her to stay.

"Just you and Reeve. I'll call the others," Yuffie replied, knowing it was going to break her to pieces. She didn't want the finality of saying 'I'm done' so many times. And…how could she say it to Vincent? She was terrified he wouldn't say anything, or that maybe he'd be glad he wouldn't have to deal with her anymore. She simply couldn't bear the thought of that, preferring to keep snapshot images of him buried in her heart. They were too precious.

"You gonna chicken outta callin' him?" Cid read her mind, and she shrugged. Cid was smarter then she gave him credit for, or maybe he just had her number.

"Probably," she replied, not looking away from what she was doing. She'd never needed to lie to Cid. He'd been mean to her before, he'd sworn up and down that she was all sorts of ugly and rude and the list went on. Strangely enough, that made him the easiest one to talk to about anything. Whatever her problem was, she could ask him or vent with him. He was such a satisfying person to vent with. And even if he was the first to swear at her, he never, ever, betrayed her confidence.

"I think you oughtta tell him. Maybe it'll shake the Vampire outta him." Cid blew on the mug of tea that had appeared in his hands at some point. Yuffie laughed.

"Don't matter anyway Cid. They've already got me a husband. Have since I was born," she tossed an ironic smile over her shoulder at him. Cid shrugged.

"Don't mean nuthin'. You love him, doncha?"

"Yeah,"

"So say so. It'll eat ya to pieces if you don't. Trust me, I tried it,"

"But you didn't have to go and get married to someone else after that."

"I don't know nothin' about bein' royal, but why couldn't you marry him?"

Yuffie laughed, so hard she about doubled over. Cid looked slightly put out, and stood up to steady her shaking arms so the ship wouldn't veer off. The icepack fell off her head.

"Did you actually hear what you just said?" she snorted around chuckles, using him as support for her suddenly jelly like body. "Me? Him? What a picture!"

"Why you already gone and given up?" Cid frowned, letting her hang off him. Yuffie sobered.

"Because…it's such a long shot. Besides, removing Kale from his ascension would start an ugly, ugly hatred between our two houses…"

"You're the Empress. They gotta do what you say." Cid's voice was more playful then serious, and Yuffie knew he understood what she'd said.

"Bein' an Empress never made_ you_ do what I say," Yuffie replied. Cid shrugged.

"Maybe it'll work on him though. Bust out some tears and a tantrum."

"I'm not a kid anymore." Yuffie took the helm back.

"Whatever. You call him though, girl, and you tell him what you think."

"I'll just send him an invite to the wedding. If he comes, I'll tell him. If not, I'll have my answer anyway."

"Nope. You ain't runnin' from this one." Cid wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulled his cell phone out, and hit a button.


	3. Phone Calls

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** The way I wrote this story jumps perspectives lots. I'm just gonna update chapters based on who's point of view is the prominent one. That could lead to some short chapters, but I'll post more then one if that's the case. Feedback is good! Please enjoy!

Chapter 3: Phone Calls

Vincent paused as his phone rang. He was watching the news at a Junon bar, wondering which direction to go in now. He flipped the phone open.

"Cid," he greeted.

"Yo. I got the kid here with me. She's got somethin' to say to you."

There was only one person in the world that Cid called a kid with that kind of tone. Yuffie Kisaragi, the little ninja Empress-to-be of Wutai. She had endeared herself to Cid in spite of herself sometime during their travels. Vincent wasn't sure when the turning point was.

"Hey Vince!" Yuffie said cheerily. She was always with bright spirits or full of fire.

"Yuffie," he replied, curious to know what she had to say. Was her phone broken and that was why she was bumming a call off Cid? Why the introduction from Cid himself?

"You sound happy to hear from me!" she laughed. He enjoyed her company, but it his voice had certainly not betrayed this. That was just the way she was. "Guess what I'm doing right now? You never will, but try!"

"Standing outside the door," he turned to survey the bar. She had the uncanniest knack for finding him. It was almost frightening.

"No. But I know you're in Junon, in a bar. Tell them to turn the news down." There went those pricked ears of hers. Vincent almost smiled. He stood up and moved to a quieter corner, further away from the noise. "That's better. Hey, I'm steering Cid's junky airship!"

"Don't say that about the Shera!" Cid barked in the background, and there was some shuffling about, followed by curses and laughter. Vincent was impressed, and immediately concerned. Cid must have been injured and the crew all dead for _Yuffie _to pilot. It was a miracle they hadn't crashed during the evacuation of civilians five years ago, when she'd zoomed up to save him from a tumbling Mako cannon.

"Why's that?" Vincent asked her, when her giggles started to subside. He heard the clatter of ice cubes, and her sigh as she sat down.

"Cuz I asked. She ain't as big a hunk of junk as I thought," Yuffie replied, obviously setting herself up to guard against motion sickness. He could see her seated in the lotus position with the tealeaves and ice bag resting on her upturned forehead. That was the best way she had of combating the airsickness.

"You're not coming to Junon?" Vincent asked.

"No," Yuffie replied. A tiny silence stretched between them, in which Yuffie began deep breathing. She was stalling for time, he knew. She never wasted time when he actually answered his phone. She spoke all the way until she hung up. Silence was not an option.

"Why did you call?" Vincent had had enough games. He didn't like the irregularities in her actions. He was too accustomed to the continuity in her personality, and preferred the wild unpredictability of her next sentence. Silence didn't suit her. She still hesitated, a tiny hitch in one breath.

"I'm resigning from the WRO," she replied, a single thread of sadness in her tone. There were a select few things that could mean, and all of them ended…negatively. But she waited for his answer now.

"Why?" He graced her with a way to continue.

"I'm gonna be 21 in a month, ya know," she seemed to change the subject. 21! She was really going to be that old? Hadn't she been 16 just a month ago? Time had slid past him again, and he hadn't even noticed it go despite the fact that he was awake. His eyes were open, his heart was beating, his mind was thinking, but he had entirely forgotten the natural movement of life and living. It was so fast – too fast.

"Oh?" he prompted, as she let the silence go again.

"Yeah. Old, huh? Soon I'll have wrinkles and gray hair. My life's almost over," she snickered.

"And now?" Vincent pushed her back towards her decision to resign. She was Reeve's right hand, the eyes and ears of the WRO. With her gone, there would be a significant drop in recon.

"So my old man says I'm an old maid already," Yuffie continued. "This coming from that old prune? Can you imagine that?" What were all these useless words? Would she just hurry and get to the point?

"Yuffie," he admonished, and she gave him a half-hearted chuckle.

"I'm going back to Wutai, where I'll get married on my birthday, to Kazuo Kiriyama, or Kale." The words came out in such a rush and with such calmness that a surreal sensation swelled behind his eyes. Vincent was silent, and understood suddenly her hesitation to speak. The words were the truth, but speaking them brought home the finality. "I…just wanted…to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Vincent was further perplexed, and found himself quite close to uncharacteristic frustration. She was obviously very distraught, more then a little upset. And who could blame her? He'd never even heard the name Kazuo Kiriyama or Kale, let alone that she was going to get married.

"Yeah. Goodbye. I can't leave anymore. Godo finally found a way to pin me down," she giggled, sounding closer to sobs then laughter. She couldn't leave? That made no sense. She was unstoppable, a force of nature, completely feral and no one's belonging. She certainly wasn't anyone's _woman_.

Vincent couldn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. She was about to eat her wings, and smile about it anyway. Should he disagree? She obviously didn't want this. But who was he to argue with her duties, her right? Hell, she couldn't even argue with her duties and rights. Yet she was the rebel for so long. Somewhere, he'd forgotten that she was royalty at all. She was just the wind, the spirit of travel, an impish pixie who owned the roads and any that walked them.

"So, goodbye." She waited a moment, and he knew she wanted him to speak. He could feel her yearning for an answer through the circuitry and plastic he held in one hand. But he could think of nothing. He couldn't console, and had forgotten how to comfort. "Hmm, see ya Vinny," she smiled, and the line went dead. It left him with a bit of a cold feeling in his chest. Slowly, he closed the phone.

So that was it then? That was the end of Yuffie Kisaragi?

The phone vibrated in his palm. He opened it again.

"You idiot!" Cid was yelling.

"Don't you dare Cid Highwind! I swear to Leviathan I'll crash us into a mountain! You'll be nothing but a flaming smear on rock!"

"Well if you're too much of a coward, I'll tell him for you!"

"I'll break this thing faster then you can choke on your cancer stick!"

There was incoherent shouting, and the phone cracked against the floor. Vincent held it away from his ear, listening to the pair of them bicker and scuffle, each one apparently wrestling for the phone. More shouts rose up, and a very definite string of swears erupted from Cid.

"Sorry there, Vinny!" Yuffie sing-songed. "I guess I did forget to say something."

"Fuckin' say it weasel brat!" Cid hollered.

"Shut your yellow teeth!" she yelled back, and all the noise faded into the background with the clatter of the bridge door slamming. "You still there? Because it won't mean shit if you've already hung up on me!" Yuffie said, nervous irritation in her voice.

"I'm here."

"I love you, Vincent Valentine. It's your move."

This time, Vincent was glad she'd hung up instantly, or she might have caught the quiet noise of shock and dismay in the back of his throat.


	4. A Wedding Night

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the Final Fantasy VII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** Yay! I like the reviews! They make me happy! Some others should send some in! I'm excited you guys like it! Congrats on finishing school! Yay for winter holidays! Woo!!! I meant to update yesterday, so here's three chapters! They always end up so short!

The story jumps about a bit more in terms of time, so the main body of it is still not going to take place at this age. Yuffie's 21 right now. Enjoy! Review!

Chapter 4: A Wedding Night

Here it was. The sense of dread and capture that filled her made Yuffie shudder. She hugged her shoulders. This was really it. She was going to cry.

"He didn't say anything," she said to Cid, who was standing behind her on the deck. A little smirk turned up her mouth.

"You only gave him about two seconds," Cid replied, draping an arm over her shoulder.

"I can't stand it when he doesn't say anything…just…just take me home…" she sluffed off his arm and sunk to the floor, burying her face in her knees and draping the ice pack on her head.

* * *

It had been all over the news. Yuffie Kisaragi was getting married. Cid sat silently on the veranda, smoking thoughtfully. Shera was in some of the gardens, playing with the children. The rest of AVALANCHE were sharing drinks and celebrating in town, enjoying the festivities. Cid simply couldn't, not after seeing the most horrible thing in the world happen to Yuffie. 

He gazed into a small courtyard garden, contemplating the glow of paper lanterns around him. Fireworks were popping, illuminating the sky in brief flashes. He could smell food and drink mingling with the flowers, and music drifted cheerfully in the air. It was a spectacular evening, and all of Wutai celebrated, except for its Empress-to-be.

"Hey Kid," Cid said roughly, as she leaned back-to-back with him.

"Shouldn't you be out enjoying the festival?" Yuffie asked, her voice tired.

"You know how old people are. I get tired too easy. A wedding was too much excitement," he answered. She scoffed faintly, and dropped her head against his shoulder. They fell silent, watching the lanterns drift on the wind. It was warm, a balmy breeze on the summer air. "You're awfully pretty in the right light," Cid complimented after a while.

"I thought you said I looked like a chocobo?"

"Prettiest Chocobo I ever saw."

"Thanks." Yuffie just wasn't in a mood to talk. Cid didn't blame her. She had watched constantly for a week, and Vincent had not come.

"Drink?" he provided a bottle of wine, extending it behind him. Yuffie took it, and he felt her drink. They shared the bottle in silence.

"How long are you staying?"

"Just a few days. We have to get back to work," Cid answered. He'd been with her since returning to Wutai, a whole month. Their time together was up.

"I see," she nodded. "Well, there're lots of hot springs. Bring the kiddies whenever," Yuffie lolled over onto the floor beside him, her head perched on her hands. She gazed into the courtyard, a bit glassy eyed. She was still in her wedding regalia. Cid's insides twisted, and he put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, and he bent his head and dropped a kiss on her forehead.

"You know you're beautiful, right?" he asked her, hearing the harshness in his own voice. She only smiled miserably at him, and curled up beside him. He put his callused hand on her cheek, and slid his fingers into her hair. Her lip trembled as her forehead wrinkled, but she didn't cry. Instead, through careful breathing, she fell asleep.

Cid stayed with her all night. He sat beside her on the veranda, eventually taking one of her hands in his. She didn't wake up, half a bottle of wine assuring that she remained asleep. He drifted off eventually as well, leaning back against a pillar, and didn't come around until hazy morning filled the sky.

He opened his eyes, watching the slanting golden lighting filling their small world. He looked down at Yuffie, who hadn't moved from her place beside him, and was draped in her wedding gown. Her eyelashes fanned down onto her lightly tanned cheeks, and some of her hair and come loose from the elaborate coiffeur it had been styled in.

Unsure of what to do, Cid could just smile. He felt a piece of himself writhing on behalf of his young protégé. The last few years in the WRO had made them very close, and he had always secretly practiced his parenting on Yuffie. The funny part was that she seemed to appreciate him always after her about this and that. For Cid, it gave them a link that persisted beyond their actions together against Sephiroth and METEOR. Cid hadn't really been close to anyone else in the group when he'd arrived, feeling almost like a tagalong, yet still inspired by Cloud's leadership and determination. Yuffie had opened herself up to him by making herself vulnerable to his reprimands, rather then brushing them off as the others in the group. He was endeared to her in that moment, when she'd made him feel like a real part of the group, and not an outsider. After she had bonded with him, he'd found his place amongst the others as well.

Now, it was Yuffie who stood alone and ostracized. Anger shot through him ad Vincent. How could the Vampire possibly do this to Yuffie, who was as much his initial branch into AVALANCHE as she was for Cid. The fact that he had deserted her in her most dire hour made Cid's blood rage.

Yuffie's eyes fluttered open, and she looked around the garden. Her fingers crept up to Cid's, running along the cuticles and joints meditatively. The intimacy of sharing a morning together hit Cid full force, almost making him wheeze. What a miserable way to start a marriage.

"It's still early…" Yuffie slowly sat up, and Cid examined her profile. She looked older already with such a serious expression on. "I probably still have time to sneak into my room and change before the inauguration." She turned and looked at Cid. "Thanks," her smile made her eyes crinkle and sparkle. Cid smiled and tweaked her nose.

"Make sure you drink lotsa water today. It'll get the alcohol out faster," he gave her a piece of fatherly advice. She wrinkled her nose, bearing her teeth in a grin. "Whew! And brush your teeth too!" Cid waved the air away from his face, teasingly. Yuffie tossed her arms around his neck, and squeezed him tight, before hopping up and pattering lightly away on the veranda. Cid smiled back at her as she turned and waved to him enthusiastically. For all the trouble ahead, Cid was reassured that she could and would overcome this desolate marriage.


	5. Changes of Heart

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** Okay, this is like...four, almost five years later. Yuffie would be about 26...even though she's not featured in this chapter. Just an update on times for you. It'll get clearer in the next chapter.

Chapter 5: Changes of Heart

"Shelk, can you help me with these dishes?" Tifa called, and Shelk looked up from her newspaper. She stood, and went into the kitchen. "Rinse those inky fingers before you touch my clean dishes," Tifa chided, and Shelk gave her a smile, obliging.

"You'll never guess who was in the paper today," Shelk said evenly, feeling warm water run over her fingers. Tifa looked back indulgently, waiting for an answer. "Barret was. He and his oil are making quite the headlines. Apparently half of the conversions from mako to petroleum are done. Major companies did most of the conversions. The rest are expected to be converted over in the next two years,"

"That's great news! We'll have to call and congratulate him!" Tifa smiled. Shelk nodded, and began stacking dishes in their respective places.

"Tifa, I'm going to go and see Marlene," Denzel appeared in the doorway, looking at Tifa. He was carrying a heavy box of supplies, just in from the delivery truck. "Cloud said he would drop me off there."

18 years old and quite the heartthrob, Denzel had grown up considerably. He was going to a prestigious university in Junon, studying to be an architect. As always, he looked a bit scruffy and rough around the edges in Shelk's opinion. His hair was usually a little mussed, with faded jeans and a worn t-shirt. A bit of stubble clung to his jaw, while a pencil perched behind his ear. His hands had gotten to be rough from working with building materials, his carpentry a hobby picked up after Marlene had moved farther away in Edge and ceased to reside with the Strifes.

"Is she home from school too?" Tifa asked, arching her eyebrows.

"Only for a couple of days. She's transferring over to a school in Icicle Town, and I'm helping her move," Denzel replied.

"Really? Why's she leaving the University in Costa del Sol? Especially for that frozen wasteland?"

"I guess they have a better program for the study of Ancients," Denzel shrugged. "Maybe I can get better at my snowboarding then. It wouldn't hurt Cloud any to get away from the city too. He's not a particular fan of beaches anyway." He flashed them a grin.

"I have heard that the programs at North Haven University are exceptional," Shelk agreed, and Denzel held up his hands in another exaggerated shrug. "There are a number of computer engineers in the WRO who graduated from North Haven," she explained.

"Oh. Hey, speaking of the WRO, has Reeve said anything about those blue prints I sent him?"

"He said he liked the basic ideas you've got, and that the next time he was out, he'd like to speak with you," Shelk nodded. Denzel's smile brightened his light features, those blue-green eyes of his alight with sunshine. Youth held so much promise, Shelk reflected.

"I'll be back in a week," Denzel came in and kissed Tifa on the cheek. The barmaid smiled at him and patted his arm.

"Take care. Send Marlene our love,"

"Will do. Hey Cloud! You ready?" Denzel called back up the stairs, shouldering his bag. Cloud's boots on the stairs were his answer, and Denzel headed out. Cloud dropped by only long enough to kiss Tifa goodbye, his calm blue eyes sparked with a look only given to Tifa. He too left without a word, carrying with him another delivery.

"I wonder how long before Denzel moves out officially?" Shelk ruminated aloud. "He and Marlene have both really grown up."

"They have. It's hard to let them go," Tifa smiled, returning to her task of washing. "You've grown up a lot too, Shelk. You've really come into your own. We're proud of you." A light blush tinged Shelk's cheeks. "Have you seen Vincent recently?"

"He stopped in to say hello a few days ago. A recent bounty's been giving him a little trouble lately, so he hasn't been around as much," Shelk shrugged, and Tifa elbowed her playfully.

"Come on, you can tell me. Aren't there any juicy details?" There was a mysterious spark in Tifa's dark eyes, and Shelk shook her head, blushing even deeper.

"There are no details…"

"There must be! You're the only one who he ever stops by to see! Honestly, there must be something between you!" Tifa pressed.

"Well…" Shelk thought about it. "I think he smiles a little more lately. He hasn't been quite so standoffish these last couple of years. When he came to see me, we went out for a few drinks."

"You're kidding, right?" Tifa blanched, her grin lighting her face. "Vincent has never unwound around any of us! You're such a miracle worker!" Shelk could only shrug and smile shyly. What could she say? She hoped that there was potential between them.


	6. The State of Affairs

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** Yuffie! Um, tell me if you need a genealogy chart or anything. There's about a zillion more family members you get introduced to. I was thinking about posting something, but wasn't quite sure.

Chapter 6: The State of Affairs

"Yuffie, I need to discuss something with you." Kale was before her, Yuffie knew. She looked up from the papers spread all over her low desk, and lifted her head from her hand. The domestic affairs of Wutai were before her.

"What about?" she asked, laying her paintbrush down. She found her place in the current squabble between courtiers, and left her finger on the character she'd left off at. Reaching up with her other hand, she adjusted the reading glasses on her nose, sliding them down so she could see her husband better. He sat down before her, mussing his usually messy hair.

"There's been another incident at the harbor, between the Yamamoto and Kudo clans," he sighed, looking tired in Yuffie's place. She nodded.

"I know. I'm dealing with the paperwork right now. I'm fining both families a handsome sum and sending all participants to jail. I'll be making a decree that the next incident will have those parties selling off handsome portions of their trade rights," she replied, and Kale blinked. "I'm very well informed, Kale. Why do you think I was Reeve's right hand? Was there anything else?"

"Just a few candidate brides for Hokuto and Mitsuru," Kale pulled a scroll from his sleeve, and set it down on her cluttered desk. She gave him a bookish look, and flicked the scroll back at him.

"I'm not arranging a marriage," she replied tersely, and shifted her glasses again, returning to her work.

"Yuffie, we have to think about their future," he sighed in exasperation.

"I am. If anything, they'll at least have their pick. I'm not just marrying my sons off," she answered coldly. "Use Doujima's children for political alliances if you like. The offspring of a courtesan can fulfill much the same role. How many does she have now? Isn't the fifth on the way?" Yuffie asked bitterly, and Kale sighed.

"Not this again. Yuffie, we've been through it," he told her, sounding tired.

"My answer has not changed," Yuffie responded. She would listen to no more of Kale's words after that, and he left shortly. Yuffie resumed her work, finishing her decrees and punishments, and sent the messengers their separate directions.

Her life was a great deal of paperwork. Domestic affairs were her domain, and she ran her country efficiently and with as little internal strife as possible. She was good about taxes and upheld the old fiefs. In her wisdom as Empress, she had come to understand that tourism was now a necessary part of the economy. It was going to be impossible not to repeat the Wutai War if she didn't allow them to become more like the outside world, and for that, the outside world had to be let in. So, rather then fight it, she made certain that there were still rules and regulations upheld to protect the old ways.

"Yuffie, may I come in?" a man knocked.

"Enter, Shuya," she called. A young man only a few years older then she slid the door open, bearing a strong resemblance to her father. He had only one arm, one sleeve of his jacket fluttering empty.

"Yuffie, you sound a little stressed," he frowned, a faint shadow of scruff on his jaw. There were old scars torn along the left side of his face, although his eye had been spared.

"I didn't know paper could be so heavy," she made a face, and Shuya seemed to relax a little. He came in and seated himself across from her. He smelled like tobacco and sunshine. "You've been outside I take it."

"I was just playing Go with some of the old timers," he shrugged his shoulders. "It's about time for the boys' lessons, isn't it?"

"Yes. I was just about to go," she nodded. "Is there anything you needed?"

"Just wanted to check on my little sister. Even the Empress of Wutai needs a little looking after." His eyes twinkled at her. Yuffie laughed, and shook her head.

"I'm invincible, Shuya. Nothing could possibly bring me down,"

"The young ones always say that," Shuya sniffed. He was the son of Yuffie's father and a courtesan, illegitimate to take the throne, but certainly good enough for political marriages. His wife was from far to the south, and he'd spent a good deal of his life after marriage in the south of Wutai. Once Yuffie had been married however, he had moved instantly back to protect her. Life had resumed the pace she remembered from her childhood with the pair of them together again.

"How are my nephews?" Yuffie asked as she stood up, stretching. Unless she was making a public appearance, she never wore a kimono. It was always the loose, masculine attire of a ninja, making it easy to move and giving her freedoms to replace – in a miniscule fashion – the ones she had lost upon marrying.

"Rowdy as ever," Shuya sighed, shaking his head. "Shogo is just old enough now to start really training, and he won't let is brothers forget it. " Shogo had been born when Yuffie was 14, a year after her brother had left. The child was now 12, and quite a terror in the kitchens and on the training field. He had potential, although Yuffie found the fourth of Shuya's five sons to hold the most promise.

Yuffie had a number of half siblings running around, anywhere from ten years older then she to 13 years younger. In all of them, there were only a handful competent, and even fewer that she trusted. Shuya was by far her closest friend and relative, with their half brothers Nayuta and Yoshitoki the only other two. Her half sisters were beyond Yuffie's trust, but not without a small fraction of loyalty through blood on her behalf.

"Are you still planning to send Jozen overseas for his education?" Yuffie asked. Shuya's third son had promise in education, high marks in everything from composition to music to mathematics. He would make an excellent diplomat or courtier. Shuya nodded.

"We're looking at a school in Icicle Town. It's a boarding school."

"Is it the same one Nayuta's son graduated from? Shunji's attending the university there too, right?"

"Yes. Yoshitoki is set on going with Jozen. He's concerned for Jozen's well being."

"I forget how much I love Yoshitoki," Yuffie smiled, opening the paper shoji in her office and looking over the balcony. The city sprawled below them, and she and Shuya moved to stand in the late afternoon sunlight.

"For his lacking wits, he certainly is profoundly dedicated," Shuya agreed as they leaned against the railing. Their 16-yeaqr-old brother had horrible marks in school, and was not top in his ninja training, but had the fierce determination and deep love for those he cherished. His dogged nature had saved many of them before, and Yuffie didn't doubt it would save them again in this world of treachery and conniving. Yuffie sighed into the wind, smiling.

"I'm lucky I have you guys," she looked at her older brother. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You're hardly helpless," Shuya smiled at her. Yuffie laughed. "I would be more frightened as your enemy,"

"Is that the only reason you're my friend?" she feigned injury, and Shuya set his one hand on her shoulder, shaking his head.

"Of course not," he kissed her forehead. "Now come on. Let's go see to your sons."

"How soon before Jozen and Yoshitoki leave?"

"Shunji will be going back after winter break. Jozen and Yoshitoki will accompany him then."

"I can't imagine how empty the halls will be without Yoshitoki," Yuffie sighed, closing the balcony door and walking beside her brother into the pagoda. She discussed memories and family matters with her brother all the way down to the tatami covered practice room, where a whole host of young children were waiting to be trained.

As Empress, Yuffie was exempt from having to train the children, but she had insisted on it. She needed to learn the enemies and allies of her sons, as well as whom she would select to be their protectors. It also gave her rare insight into the upbringing of other children and their parents' allegiances. Children often stuck to the same rings their parents did.

Hokuto and Mitsuru had been taught not to run to her in a formal atmosphere. Even at four, they remembered their mother's strict upbringing. Yuffie had not been lenient in raising them. In fact, especially with the number of her half siblings and the competition Doujima's children offered, Yuffie had done everything in her power to pressure her children into maturing quickly. She had not forced them to grow up so fast exactly, but had instilled in them an urgent understanding that their existence was not guaranteed in the house they were born into.

Their curiosity was encouraged, questioning and riddles an essential part of their education. Yuffie couldn't give them anything but the simplest of puzzles yet, but she could see the cogs in their minds turning. She made up games for them, and let them play and have fun, insisting on tag and hide and seek, allowing them to just be childish, but raising her children the way a wolf would. Play to learn what would ultimately save your life.

Yuffie did not smile during class, and she was not lenient on any children. Shuya kept that part of her in check. Yuffie only intervened when she had to, although childish scraps were not much of a concern. She had managed to quash that ferocious motherly instinct that told her to decimate any creature that raised a hand against her offspring, but watched with eagle eyes. Everything she did was to ensure their future. They were everything to her, and only her three closest brothers knew the lengths she would go to for them.

"Alright. Let's begin with the warm up," Yuffie instructed her class of four and five-year-olds. Shuya took up a position beside her, and they moved with the sloppy, uncoordinated mass of children. It was almost humorous, the way they tipped about and lost their balance. This was one of the rare moments she was alight with joy, watching her children tip and try with all their might to perform for her as their teacher. She swelled with pride at their efforts, and found them both beautiful and perfect.


	7. Youthful Speculation

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Yuffie is 26 now, and her sons are 4. Her older brother Shuya is 28, and he had children at a much earlier age then Yuffie and was married sooner. This chapter focuses on Yoshitoki (age 16), one of Yuffie's younger brothers, Jozen (age 7), who is Shuya's fourth son, and Shunji (age 20ish), who is Yuffie's oldest brother's oldest son. Maybe I will post a family tree...

Chapter 7: Youthful Speculation

Yoshitoki was frowning at his Kanji booklet, looking irritated that Jozen was doing so much better. His nephew sat primly, seven years old, with a brush moving like an extension of his hand. He watched the boy work with the fluidity of water, grace in his slender fingers and pale skin, with a slight drop of his chin. Shunji, dressed in an elaborate Kimono with his long hair brushing in gloriously inky tendrils to his lower back, smiled with his effeminate features over at his younger Uncle Yoshitoki.

"Now, now, pay attention to your own lessons," Shunji tisked. Yoshitoki heaved a sigh, and went back to his booklet. Shunji was a diligent teacher, and a good friend to Yoshitoki. In fact, it was Shunji who had done much of Yoshitoki's raising, and had taught him about honor and devotion. This struck many people as odd, especially since Shunji's homosexuality and femininity were common knowledge. Initially this had been a scandal to the family, but Shunji proved to be such a brilliant student that no one had been sure what to do with him. Five years ago, when Yuffie had married, she had dismissed the whole thing and removed any laws relating to homosexuality and cross-dressing.

"_You have to take the entirety of change if you want even a piece of it,"_ Yuffie had said wryly to her people, who stared at her flabbergasted. Harsh laws were enforced to crack down on the outburst of crimes committed on homosexuals.

As far as people were concerned with Shunji and Yoshitoki, many were impressed at the masculinity Yoshitoki displayed. A peculiar mixture of gentleness and hard edge was incorporated in Yoshitoki's upbringing, the affect of his effeminate nephew's rearing. Yoshitoki viewed Shunji's decision as something personal, and while he loved his nephew and appreciated his lifestyle, he was a decided lover of women. Their beauty and delicacy fascinated him.

"Sorry, Shunji," Yoshitoki grumbled. Shunji's smooth fingers lifted another brush elegantly and showed Yoshitoki again the proper strokes. Yoshitoki copied them dutifully, if a bit sloppy. Shunji just laughed.

"You're handwriting screams boredom. I suppose we can't all be lovers of calligraphy though," Shunji chided him in a melodic voice. Yoshitoki just gave him a crooked grin, and looked again at Jozen. "You're sure you want to come to the frozen wasteland with me? There'll be nothing but books and libraries to entertain you," Shunji warned.

"I've always wanted to snowboard. Maybe I'll get good at something," Yoshitoki tossed his hands up in defeat.

"You are good for something," Jozen argued, his crisp young voice breaking the serenity that seemed to engulf him when he worked. He looked like a child again. Yoshitoki looked at him quizzically as the boy stood, paintbrush in hand. "You make a good practice board for Kanji," he smiled, slathering ink all over Yoshitoki's face.

"You better cut it out! You might be smarter, but I'm still stronger and faster!" Yoshitoki threw his nephew in a headlock, and the boy squealed as Shunji's fingers scuttled up and down his sides.

"Auntie! Auntie! You have to save me!" He shouted through guffaws. Yuffie's fingers suddenly worked over the sensitive skin on Yoshitoki's sides, and he released Jozen with a jump. Laughing, Jozen ran and hid behind his aunt's legs. Yoshitoki tilted his head back and smiled, seeing her wild grin looming over him.

"What are you doing to my favorite nephew?" she demanded.

"I thought I was your favorite," Shunji pouted.

"You're the prettiest," Yuffie corrected. Shunji looked well pleased and nodded, content with his title. "I hear you're abducting my brother and Jozen," she addressed Shunji.

"They're the ones I can't seem to get away from," Shunji argued. Yuffie plopped down as her twin sons swept into the room and mashed their palms into the wet ink at Jozen's table. They began a strange game between each other, slapping hands in something resembling their kata. It was almost more of a dance.

"What are you doing?" Yuffie laughed at them. They looked back at her, mirroring her boundless excitement as they did.

"A contest," Mitsuru explained. He was the more talkative of the two, with a bit of a rounder face. His was the wilder and more daring personality, apt to climb up things and jump off, or enter a wrestling match with the dogs. "I can't get ink if I remember my kata better."

They moved again into their dance, and Yuffie resumed her attention to her brother and nephews. "So you're really gonna leave. I'm not sure I know what to do withoutcha," she smiled.

"We'll be back over breaks," Yoshitoki promised. Yuffie shrugged as Jozen climbed into her lap.

"That's hardly enough for me. I'm so selfish. And Shunji is the closest thing to a girlfriend I have," she pouted.

"That's right. We need to go shopping before I leave. You really could do with some winter makeup. You have hardly done anything with your appearance," Shunji frowned, reaching out and touching Yuffie's face. His silky skin must have felt good to Yuffie's wind chapped and cold flushed face, because she sighed and closed her eyes.

Yoshitoki didn't like the sadness always just behind his sister's smile. He remembered her indomitable spirit when he was just a boy, and seeing her like this drove a knife through him. He knew he didn't have all the pieces of the puzzle, but he was as aware of Kale's deep love for Doujima, and his inattentive behavior towards Yuffie. Yoshitoki didn't begrudge his brother-in-law his personality, but was unable to forgive him for the loneliness that haunted his sister.

"We'll get you some nice lotions and bathing salts. That will take care of all this rough skin," Shunji pinched Yuffie's nose. There was an audible splat and a cry of dismay from Mitsuru as Hokuto landed a black handprint in the middle of his sibling's forehead.

"Not done!" Mitsuru protested, as both dashed to Jozen's ink and wetted their palms again. Yuffie's eyes slid to them with a welling of love Yoshitoki had never received from his mother. Kale was a stupid man to love that fluff Doujima. Her wailing children gave Yoshitoki headaches, and the woman was infinitely needy. The amount of money she spent on her appearance and the clothing she wore were unthinkable in comparison to the modest touches of femininity his sister used, and in Yoshitoki's opinion, a woman who depended that heavily on makeup to be beautiful was too insecure. Even Shunji, who used a great deal of moisturizers and creams, didn't spend as much time and money preening. His skin and hair were well cared for without bordering on the obsessive.

"So you'll send me postcards, won't you?" Yuffie asked. Yoshitoki smirked. This was the first time Yuffie had ever asked _him_ for a postcard. He remembered as a child anticipating his older sister Yuffie's latest escapades as a Materia thief in her next exotic postcard. There was an entire book full of them in his room, a treasured piece of shared history between them.

"Of course I will."

"How long since you last left Wutai?" Shunji asked suddenly.

"Four years, nine months, and six days," she replied almost instantly. Yoshitoki blinked, and Shunji shook his head.

"You sure did keep a good count," Jozen remarked.

"Sure do. I have a big calendar I mark the days off with." Yuffie grinned at her nephew, and pulled open his hands. There were light dots of ink on the fingers of his right hand. "You've been studying hard, huh?"

"Very," Jozen bobbed his head.

"You be careful out there in the big world, huh? And call auntie Yuffie sometimes too."

"I'll call you every night!"

"Not that often, silly. Maybe once every couple of weeks. See if you can't get Shunji to too. I hardly ever talk to him anymore," Yuffie sent Shunji a significant look, edged in playfulness. Shunji gave her a crisp salute.

A quick procession of slaps was heard, skin meeting skin, and the group turned towards the twins. Their faces were dripping black, now in an all out confrontation, their game forgotten. Jozen laughed openly as the pair began rolling on the floor, arguing. A chorus of "you cheated!" could be heard echoing between the two. Yuffie stood up and pulled her sons apart.

"Lets get you cleaned up for dinner," she informed them, holding them at arms length apart.

"He cheated!"

"No! He did!"

There was a moment of squabbling.

"Okay. Well, since you can't work this out, I guess nobody gets desert then," Yuffie sighed. Both turned instant puppy eyes on her, but she shook her head as she left the room. Yoshitoki knew she wouldn't give in. He was accustomed to her alternately tough and gentle love for her children, himself often exposed to it by her when he bickered with his younger siblings. Her side was usually with him, but she didn't spoil him. "Come on, Jozen. You should clean up too," Yuffie called, and the boy raced after her.

"She's very unhappy here," Shunji said when they were alone. He looked at the mess of ink, and pulled back the sleeves of his kimono to reveal delicate wrists. Yoshitoki nodded. "Has she talked to you about it?"

"She doesn't even talk to Shuya about it. They're closest," Yoshitoki shook his head. He blew out a troubled breath.

"I feel horrible…like she's wasting away before our very eyes. You were old enough to remember how she was when she first got here, but not enough to remember how she was before she got married," Shunji sighed, dabbing up ink. He was careful to spare his kimono.

"I've heard stories…sometimes it's hard to believe she's the same person. I don't even think dad recognizes her anymore. He calls Nana's daughter Yuffie. You know, the one that breaks everything?"

"Oh yes. I know. It's ripping Yuffie to pieces. She can't even stand to look at grandpa anymore."

"What should we do?"

"I don't think there's anything we can do if she won't talk to us." A sad look of helplessness crossed Shunji's expressive face. Yoshitoki's eyebrows drew together, and he crossed his arms.

"It's not fair," he complained softly. He and Shunji were silent as they cleaned up the study, and proceeded to wash up for dinner.


	8. Reflex

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** I was pokin' around on the internet for a while, and I realized there was a mini game or something predating FFVII with the Turks and a sort of first generation AVALANCHE. Those guys are mentioned in this one, and I didn't just make it up. Yay!

Chapter 8: Reflex

Vincent couldn't help the reflex in him. The loud girl coming into the room made him look back, but she was blonde and blue eyed, her features gaudy beneath makeup. He half shook himself for the millionth time, recalling that this particular tick in him was five years beyond its use. The action that was precursor to the reaction would never happen again.

He turned back to the table before him, and focused on the man approaching from the backdoor. Shorter then Vincent with a thick burr of unshaven beard, he was thickly muscled and dressed inconspicuously. That was saying something, considering the massive burn scar over and around his blinded right eye. He sat down heavily across from Vincent and flicked his fingers at a waitress. She approached and bobbed her head at the curt order given to her.

"You never change," the man said roughly. Vincent's more recent state of mind would have him smirk, except that he kept his usual placid mask on for business. This man was not h is friend. "Always lookin' over your shoulder. Who're you waiting for."

"A man makes lots of enemies in this business," Vincent answered.

"The loud ones are always here for the slime, aren't they?" the man snickered. Vincent reflected on the truth in that statement. No time for reminiscing with the present staring him in the face. It struck him as odd how hard he tried to forget the past, when it had hung so heavily from him before.

"Have you found anything?" Vincent asked. The scruffy man ahead of him slapped at a pack of cigarettes meditatively as he thank the waitress for the drink set quietly on the table between them. She glanced at Vincent inquiringly, her eyes lingering a little too long on his sharp cheeks and smoldering eyes. He dismissed her with a wave of his gloved hand.

"Lots of whispers. He's probably ex AVALANCHE," the man shrugged, fishing now for his lighter. Vincent tilted his head, disquieted.

"What?"

"Not your AVALANCHE. I forget how young you are," he laughed. This was untrue, but his contact didn't require this information to function appropriately. "Before you, there was another group based in Wutai. They had an ugly war with the Turks. That was probably fifteen to twenty years ago. The stuff we're seeing now reminds me of that first generation of AVALANCHE."

"How's that?"

"Very cold in what he does. You have to be familiar with the aftermath of the Wutai war to really get a feel for it. Little things makes me think of that first AVALANCHE."

"Any definite leads?" Vincent made a mental note to research this former AVALANCHE.

"A more reliable source suggested heading to Mideel. Said he saw a bit of trafficking reminiscent of our buddy Koga. I bet if you could bag Koga before he gets away, you might be able to find something out about our ringleader."

Vincent didn't bother saying anything else. He recognized the end of the conversation when he heard it. Getting up, he left a few coins on the table for the waitress, and headed for the door. His attention caught on the loud blonde from before, as she doted on a shy young man. She wasn't perhaps as annoying as he first credited her loud laughter, as she struggled admirably to incorporate the nervous boy to join them in the conversation. She was hassling him for his opinion on something, and he cautiously gave it to the group.

Suppressing unwanted memories, Vincent emerged into the cool winter air of Edge.


	9. Wutai Troubles

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** If you hadn't guessed, Yuffie's sort of fallen out of touch with everyone. Few phone calls here and there, that sort of thing.

Chapter 9: Wutai Troubles

Yuffie watched Shunji, Yoshitoki, and Jozen as they waved goodbye to her from the ship. She waved back, watching as they slowly pulled out of the harbor. It was snowing today, and she felt the biting cold creeping beneath her hood and mittens. Nevertheless, she waved eagerly back, blowing kisses and being generally over the top all morning. She had false sobbed all over Yoshitoki, going on about how brave he was to leave home at such a tender age. For Shunji's going away, she had pretended to blow a runny nose on his winter kimono, to which he'd had an equally feigned and quite spectacular tantrum. Jozen had been beside himself with laughter at the antics of his aunt and cousin. Yoshitoki was confused and trying to find a clean kimono for Shunji.

When the ship had gone, it was the final setting rays of happiness in her day. There were more troubling things then unusually heavy snows lately and the butting heads of families. Her desk had been overflowing with missing persons' reports. She was obviously not the local police, but over fifty disappearances had happened in the last month in a single district. This was backlash, she was certain, for her efforts to close of the thriving, black-market for women and children, an explosive trend begun with the tourism. It wasn't simple prostitution, but vast networks of trade, even importing women and children from other countries. It was a black spot on her society, one she had worked vigorously to undo.

She thought long and hard about this unhappy turn of the tide, weighing and measuring the various notes and messages associated with the rash of abductions. The ride back provided silence she needed to mull over her thoughts, and upon returning to her office, she found it mercifully vacant. Kale was vacationing with Doujima and their children in the south of Wutai, away from the snows. He was having all of his diplomatic conferences there. It suited her just fine, cutting down on the amount of entertaining she had to do and leaving her to carefully balance the realities of her country and the training and delighting in her sons.

"Yuffie, why don't you drink something to warm up?" suggested Shuya, entering without knocking. There were only two people allowed that privilege. Shuya and Yoshitoki were both exempt from her wrath at this, being accustomed to her drastic and sharp mood swings. She had tried allowing Kale to see her when vulnerable or strong, but found he was too quick to take things personally and lash back at her cruelly.

"I'm fine. The cold keeps me on my toes," Yuffie replied. She didn't usually have a fire going or turn on the heat in her office unless she was absolutely freezing, preferring to bundle herself up. It also deterred the tedious company of nobility and squabbling families. Her other family members refrained from entering this cold room to speak with her as well.

"Humor me and drink up," Shuya answered in a no nonsense tone. He poured her a steamy cup.

"You know if you mix such crazy different temperatures, tissue could be damaged," Yuffie told him with mock bookishness.

"Guess you'd better start by building a fire then," Shuya suggested, squatting to do just that.

"Hey now, this is my study. It'll be whatever temperature I want it to be," she argued for the sake of it. Shuya demonstrated the temperature by blowing a puff of steam into the air using only the wonders of the warmed air from his lungs. Yuffie snickered, and let him have his way.

"So, what are you working on now?" Shuya said by way of conversation.

"The kidnappings. I'm trying to decide what should be done." Yuffie blew out a steamy breath. Shuya glanced up at her, his expression masked as he appraised her tired features.

"Any progress with the authorities?"

"None." She massaged her temples. "With 50 kidnappings in a month, you'd think someone would have noticed something, some clue to give at least a piece of the puzzle away. This is such a vast network we're dealing with here…if only I could get out of here…I know _I_ could find the answer." She looked towards the window with yearning, feeling trapped. She wanted to help.

"Your place is here. There are other things that need your attention and hand as well," Shuya cautioned her. There was a big brother edge in his tone.

"Recon was my gift. I could find any lead, Shuya…you don't understand how glorious it was to really be good at something…something that helped so many people…" she sighed, rubbing her eyes. She recalled Reeve's pleasure and the high degree of trust and respect. It hurt her to remember how free she used to be, and how driven. She had motivation here, a defining point, but she missed that self-fulfillment. There had been so much of a statement in her determined existence in the past. "Is it selfish to miss something you can't do anymore?"

"No…I believe you found your passion," Shuya shook his head instantly.

"I just feel like I could do better for my people as a servant, rather then a master," Yuffie shook her head, and took a long sip from her tea. "I really felt alive back then…"

"I know," Shuya placed a hand on her head. She glanced at the small fire he had going already. Her eyes followed the flames, and a thousand memories came back. Explosions, excitement, long conversations about nothing, shared dreams, and a certain degree of nakedness and trust, were all pieces of a world she no longer belonged to…a world that no longer wanted her.

"Well, I'd better get back to work. I bet I could call in a favor from Reeve," she reached for the phone. Shuya dropped a kiss on her forehead.

"Drink all of that tea before I come back," he commanded. "And before it gets cold," he added. She smirked, dialing long distance.


	10. Favors

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

Chapter 10: Favors

Reeve tossed aside a recent report and hunted for his official stamp. Where had he put it again? It was to the left of those reports on Edge, somewhere around his inbox. Wait, where had his inbox gone. He peeked beneath a precarious tower of information, and was only aware of how precarious it was when it tumbled to the ground. Sighing and falling back in dejection, he gazed vacantly across his office.

When had it gotten this way? He couldn't remember the last time he'd actually socialized with anyone, or attended an annual Christmas party or holiday gathering. Hell, he couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten lunch with someone on something other then a business meeting. Passing a hand over his eyes, he glanced towards the wall with a picture of the red mesas in Cosomo Canyon. Enlarged he could tell that the angle was a little crooked, and taken by an inexperienced photographer. The brilliant glare of light to one side was a giveaway.

Marlene had taken that picture for him when she was much younger, after a visit to his office with Barret, who was there on business. The child had been appalled that he had no windows and only glaring fluorescent light. Marlene and her father had been on their way to visit Red in the Canyons, and while the girl had despaired at there being little greenery, Reeve had assured her it was just the window he needed.

The phone shrilled for attention. Reeve pinched his nose bridge and drew two meditative breaths. Reaching out, he braced himself for whatever was on the other end.

"Reeve," he said evenly.

"What the hell kind of original answer is that?" snorted a woman. Reeve hesitated a moment. "It's me! Hello in there! What, did you forget me already? It's only been five years!"

"Yuffie!" Reeve instantly smiled. "I haven't talked to you in three months! How are you doing?"

"Well, all my body parts are workin', so I guess things must be okay," her voice intoned the shrug he couldn't see. He laughed.

"I'm glad to hear it. And your sons?"

"A bundle of energy as usual. How about you? Any girls?" Yuffie prodded. Since being married, she had an insistent prod that he should look to settle down now too. He suspected it was because he was coming up on forty and still didn't even have a steady girlfriend.

"Not even a nibble."

"Uh huh, and how long are you spending in the office every day?"

"Yuffie…"

"Really. How many hours?"

"Around fourteen…"

"See, _that's_ your problem right there. You only have ten hours in a day left and eight of that should be sleeping, except you're probably working at home late into the night. Come on, tell gramma Yuffie," she made her voice hoarse with age.

"Yes mother. You should save all your hounding for your sons. They won't be so easy to manage as they get older. Look at their mother," he cautioned.

"Oh, trust me. I'm ready for some excitement. My whole world is an office," Yuffie bemoaned, her voice dramatic. "In fact, that's part of the reason I called. I know, I'll eat my words. Neither of us can get away from work."

"Mm. What's happening in Wutai?"

"Nothing good. The usual mess. But I did have a favor to ask."

"I'm at your disposal," Reeve almost made a regal bow. "You are an Empress after all."

"Yeah, well, don't make me order you on two weeks of vacation. It really wouldn't benefit me right now," Yuffie sniffed.

"Your wish is my command."

"I need you to send someone underground here in Wutai. The elite ninja are all being wasted around here, and they couldn't find anything if it hit them in the face," she groused.

"Hey, I'm an elite," complained a voice on the other end.

"You're royal. We're not allowed to leave the castle," she said back. Reeve thought he recognized the man as one of Yuffie's many half siblings.

"Let's see who we have here," Reeve said, immediately going through potential spies for Yuffie. He dug through the pages on his desk and found his keyboard, managing through another miracle to locate the mouse. "What sort of underground are you looking at?"

"I need a man," Yuffie said. "Someone who could fit in as a sort of nasty tourist…I'll have him investigating the sex trade here," she explained. Reeve nodded. There were still lingering problems there with former Shinra clients and stockholders using the completely defeated Wutai as a land of paradise and pleasure. Many ugly trades had been brought there.

"Okay…I'm looking through my male operatives now," Reeve told her, skimming through their records. His eye caught on an e-mail popup from one Reno. "Hold on for just a moment, Yuffie."

"Take your time. I'll just rot over here."

"Great, now you have time to drink your tea. Come on, down the hatch," insisted the brotherly tone. Reeve smiled as he opened the e-mail. The content surprised him.

"Yuffs, have you seen Elena out there recently? I just got e-mail from the Turks, saying she was supposed to be headed out there to talk with your husband about some international relations between Shinra and Wutai. This was apparently a week ago."

"She'd been in the south," Yuffie answered. "My husband conducts all business during the winter in the south. I haven't seen or heard about her, no. If you want to hold on for a minute, I'll see what I can find. Shuya, gimme my cell phone. I left it in my bag over there," Yuffie instructed, pulling the receiver away from her face.

Reeve waited patiently, sifting through operatives in the mean time. Yuffie set the receiver down and seemed to be pawing through documents as she spoke to her husband, using rapid fire Wutain. Reeve caught a number of questions in her voice as she spoke, and then she hung up.

"I'm going to check with the police for you briefly. Give me another minute." Yuffie sounded mildly disconcerted in her update to him. In about fifteen minutes, she came back on. "The hotel she was supposed to check into says she didn't come back for her luggage on the third day," Yuffie told him grimly. "They filed a missing persons report for her. I'm sending you the report right now."

"Thanks. I'll forward it to Reno."

"Hmm…same M.O. as all the others…have Reno call me. Tell Shinra I'm willing to cooperate in the investigation if they'll help me bring down the organization that's doing this," Yuffie instructed. Reeve frowned.

"Are you sure that's wise?" he heard the question mirrored by her brother. Yuffie just laughed.

"Well, Reno and Rude are sure to upset things enough for me to get out of this fucking tower long enough to investigate these boils in Wutai society," Yuffie said almost maniacally. Reeve had no doubt that she was anxious to leave. As far as he knew, she hadn't left Wutai in five years.

"Alright," Reeve nodded. "I'll have them do that."

"Thanks, Reeve. I've got to go and see what else I can get done around here," Yuffie sighed, suddenly sounding a might tired.

"Are you doing alright?" Reeve asked. Yuffie laughed.

"Sure, Reeve. I'm dandy. Thanks for your help. I'll talk to you later," she hung up before Reeve could protest. He hated how false she could be, but knew better then to say anything about it. Yuffie was an Empress, and there was nothing he could do about that. Her burdens were much like his, except she couldn't resign.


	11. Old and New

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** hint hint XxHowToSaveALifexX!

Chapter 11: Old and New

Reno was surprised to find himself sauntering off of a boat into the Wutai harbor, welcomed after years of being less then well received by Wutai. He had been sure to pull on his goggles to ward of the heavy blizzard around him. He glanced at Rude over the fluffy trim of his coat, and gave him a smirk. Rude had bundled himself up without regard, and still looked sharp. His black trench coat, gloves, and scarf looked stellar, matching his designer sunglasses. Somehow he was still warm with that bald head of his.

"Doesn't matter what we're doin'. You always look cool," Reno whined. Rude only glanced at him before collecting his baggage and heading for the waiting car. Reno followed along, folding himself into the seat beside his partner. "So, how about the help we're getting?" Reno asked.

"It's an interesting twist," Rude replied. Reno's jaw had dropped when he'd read the e-mail from Reeve informing him that Yuffie was personally interested in his investigations. He hadn't seen the brat in seven years, and they'd never actually been much of friends. Okay, so he and Yuffie had shared a couple of drinks and had a good time after Sephiroth's second defeat. He actually enjoyed their conversation and the unpredictable nature of his youthful counterpart.

"I've heard she's all married and has brats now. Can you imagine that?" Reno snickered, grinning. Rude shook his head. Yuffie had always seemed to Reno to be the least likely to have children. There was something to wild and reckless to be maternal in her. Maybe because she was young, Yuffie had seemed to Reno like she would never be settled in one place long enough to love. Then again, the vampire Vincent might never have children either, although God only knew how many women would kill to give him a couple of kids.

"Twins," Rude corrected, and Reno shrugged. He didn't care much for details. That was Rude's expertise.

They arrived quickly enough, and the driver assured them he would meet them back here with their baggage to take them to their hotel. They would be staying in the capitol city for a few days, at least until the blizzard let up enough for the trains to run.

"Aren't you gonna take our coats or somethin'?" Reno asked as they stamped snow off of their boots at the behest of a severe faced woman.

"You'll need them in the Empress' office," she replied in a rigid manner, and Reno glanced over at Rude. "This way."

There wasn't time to properly appreciate the architecture around them, Reno mused as he kept up with tiny, rapid strides that seemed to move this woman at impossible speeds. The decadent carvings and infinitesimally small paintings were merged together in a breathless drama that gave one a true sense of there being a place for all things big and small. Reno wondered idly if Yuffie knew how many carvings and paintings were in this massive Pagoda.

"Wait here," the woman snapped, after leading them up three flights of stairs. They stood in a drafty hallway, and glanced at each other. Was the heat broken? The woman vanished within the office, and returned in a moment. She opened the door fully this time, and Reno and Rude were allowed in.

A woman was sitting at an enormous desk, and while it physically dwarfed her, there was a particular presence about her that made it appropriate. Her face was tilted down, with the elaborate loops of her hair decorated with pale, sparkling gems. Eyelashes almost fanning on her cheeks, her eyes were scouring paperwork set before her, one hand poised over the keyboard in a careless fashion that positioned the fingers elegantly. Her elaborate white kimono was perfect, colored to mirror the bleak skies outside of the window. The lack of fire or heat made her seem impossibly pale.

Reno was speechless. He stared, slack jawed for the second time in the past few days, and couldn't even muster anything witty. Standing agog, he was mercifully given just enough time to wire his jaw shut and pull off his goggles.

"You still look like misguided yakuza twerps," the woman said when she did look up at them. There was amusement in her dark eyes, half a smirk on her face. Ah! There was Yuffie Kisaragi. She gained a little edge of danger as she shifted at her desk in a manner similar to Tseng's. As she adjusted the documents and extracted an overstuffed file, an essence of Tseng seemed to ooze from her. "Siddown. You're making me nervous," Yuffie dispelled those thoughts instantly.

Reno kicked back in a chair, tucking his hands behind his head, watching as she finished fishing for this and that. Still sitting up on her screen were news reports. His Wutain was rusty, but Reno picked up enough of their strange words to know that she was researching the latest surge in sex trade.

"Never thought someone like you would help us," Reno said idly, just to provoke her. He wanted to see the fire in her eyes. "Especially not after all those years right after the Wutai war."

"Don't push it bar monkey," Yuffie intoned flatly, her eyes flashing up at him. Reno gave her a lazy smile.

"Mind if I smoke?"

"Window's over there," she pointed. Reno's eyes shot towards it, and then returned to her. Her eyes twinkled, daring him. Never one to keep a lady in suspense, Reno swung up and stalked to the window. With a bit of wrestling, he shoved it open as a blast of snowy air threw icy flakes into his face. Once he'd pulled his goggles and hook back on, he settled himself in the sill and lit up. Whatever Yuffie was expecting, she didn't let on how she felt about his reaction.

"So what's this about you helpin' out?" Reno demanded.

"We have a common interest," Yuffie answered, sliding the folder towards Rude. "I need people with filthy hands and no honor to get into the slums and underbelly of the city. How perfect that Reno and Rude of the Turks should just fall into my lap,"

"Well, I'm not there yet. You offering?" Reno asked playfully.

"There hasn't been a whole lot of that lately. I might take you up on that offer if you're on good behavior," Yuffie shocked him. Reno just smiled, and felt more at home. Sharks he could handle. If Yuffie was a shark, then he could read her motives and guess her intentions. "Wipe that smirk off your face. Do you think I would ever sleep with you, pervert?" Yuffie scoffed at his amusement, and turned to Rude.

"So you need us to do the dirty work," Reno sobered, fully prepared to enjoy working with Yuffie.

"I need you to do what you do best. Really, with the list of your connections here, it shouldn't be hard," Yuffie flicked a page at Rude, who examined it. Without moving a muscle in his face, he turned to look at Reno.

"This is a list of all our contacts," Rude informed him. Reno arched his eyebrows. "_Everyone_."

"Oh, so this is a ransom game now, huh?" Reno's smile grew darker.

"I've managed to do all of this on my own," Yuffie stated, glancing at her computer and striking a few keys. "The list is all in my head, and I'll be happy to forget it if you'll lend me some help,"

"Why can't you do it?" Reno pried, flicking ash from the tip of his cigarette. He appreciated briefly the contrast of the red ember against the hazy gray-white of Wutai winter. "You're good enough to stalk us without being noticed."

"There are a number of reasons my hands are tied for something that could take a few days," Yuffie answered. "Trust me, if I ask for help, I need it. Don't think I'm desperate, it would just be easier for me to higher a little bit of muscle instead of get my advisors' and Elders' panties in a wad." An amusing wrinkling of the nose made Yuffie look eighteen again. "Besides, I might need a vacation and monitoring you two would be the perfect excuse," she rolled her eyes heavenward.

Reno just smiled. There was nothing he could say that would express the peculiar mixture of amusement and pity for the Empress. If she thought tagging along through the festering underbelly of former Shinra slums was a vacation, there was no telling what it was like in court. He laughed, feeling the bizarre nature of their arrangement tickle his funny bone in a way that only a hired killer could be tickled.

Yuffie ignored him and spoke briefly with Rude, ironing out the particulars and tossing him a heavy purse. Rude nodded mutely, collecting purse and file. Reno just sucked on his cigarette and let Rude do what he did best. Casting his eyes over the city view, he was surprised by how little it had changed since he'd been gone. The horizon was unmistakable in its grandeur, and every building that had been destroyed was stubbornly rebuilt. It could have been the same city he had come to as a green recruit all those years ago.

"Hey, yakuza brat," Yuffie threw a dry paintbrush at him. Reno snapped out of his daze and hopped off the windowsill. He picked a bamboo brush out of his jacket, turning it between his thumb and forefinger. "Get outta my office. Your audience is over." She had her head perched on one hand, staring up at him. Reno set the brush down carefully on her desk, arranging it delicately between a cold mug of tea and an official stamp.

She didn't even bother to wait for them to leave to get back to her research. Her fingers skittered over the keyboard the instant Reno turned his back. He kept quiet until they were outside, headed for the car.

"So…"Reno drawled. "Did it feel funny to you to talk to her like a grown up?"

"I try to avoid the fact that she's thirteen years younger then I am," Rude nodded. Reno blanched. Time sure flew.


	12. Debt and Desire

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

Chapter 12: Debt and Desire

Shunji was achingly familiar with the cold in Icicle Town. It was not only in the bitter snows around him, but also in the hearts of his fellow students. Really, he had grown up ostracized and hated, so it was not unfamiliar to him, it just got tedious. He brushed a hand over his school uniform, and straightened his tie.

Yes, Shunji dressed like a boy for school. The dress code required it, and really there wasn't much difference between the uniforms. In the cold, there was no place for dresses or skirts, especially not in the snowy marches to class. His schoolmates were not left to wonder at his preferences however, the distinct mannerisms and feminism giving him away.

This morning he had wasted no show of it as he'd dipped his hand into the long mane of locks he had and twirled one lock around his index finger. There had unfortunately been a degree of retribution, which had landed him with scuffs and bruises.

"Those imbeciles…I'm part of the royal family. As if anything you could do to me would rival the miserable training I underwent as a child," he scoffed, and ran his manicured nails through his hair. Mildly irritated that his face should be so bruised but overall feeling good about having dished out as much as he took, he emerged from the men's room of the library.

"How are you feeling?" Yoshitoki asked softly as Shunji returned to the fourth floor study. Shunji patted his shoulder affectionately, smiling. "If I'd gotten there a little sooner,"

"Don't worry about it, Toki. I'm certainly able to handle myself against a few ruffians. Yuffie taught me a few dirty tricks for those of us more slight in figure," he smiled affably, and Yoshitoki cringed. Yuffie was a master of dirty fighting.

"It bothers me to think how closed minded these people are,"

"How are your studies going?"

"Miserable. Two weeks into the semester and I'm already failing," Toki bemoaned. Jozen was bent intently over his own work, ignoring his elder relatives discussion. "At least he's fitting in okay."

"I heard he already made a girlfriend," Shunji smiled, ruffling Jozen's thick hair. The boy batted his cousin away without looking up.

"I'm studying now. I want to be a big help to Auntie Yuffie," Jozen informed them, looking at them darkly. Shunji took a seat beside Toki, examining the battlefield of mathematical equations, and marveling at the carnage of a simple test in basic algebra.

"I wonder if they'll make a new letter in the grading scale, just for you," Shunji teased, and Toki looked moderately disturbed.

"They can do that?" he asked hoarsely. Shunji was aware that Toki knew how much Yuffie was shelling out for Toki's less then perfect GPA. The idea of causing his beloved sister any more grief then she already had was almost too much for Toki.

"Oh yes. I had a friend who ended up taking an M home in her history class. Her parents simply wouldn't speak to her afterwards," Shunji decided to take it just a bit farther. Toki's grip on the pencil tightened, and he buried himself in his work. Jozen looked up.

"You're such a liar," he snorted through squinted eyes. "Toki, don't listen to him. He's just mad 'cause his face got scratched up."

"Don't end your sentence with a preposition," Shunji said bookishly, as Toki looked between them. It flustered him to think that a seven-year-old understood the nuances of conversation better then he did. Jozen made a face and went back to work and Toki, feeling unable to compete in a dual of wits, retired in abject depression and fear of an M in math to the straightforward failure of said subject.

Shunji restlessly flipped through his books, but his mind was drawn towards his aunt Yuffie. She was only six years older then he was, and privy to most of her secrets. They always had been close as children, but the past five years of reticence was gnawing at him. He'd found his studies, which usually moved him to excitement and interest, lacking. There was something about this time of year that bothered him. It was around the time that she had left as a young girl, to filch Materia for Wutai's liberation.

Closing his book and giving up, Shunji paced over to the window. Jozen and Toki ignored him, accustomed by now to his pacing. If he had no temper for studying, he wouldn't do it.

Thick snow was draping the mountains in sheaves of ice. Shunji was sure there were layers of prehistoric snow this very town and university were built overtop of. He tapped irritably at the glass, and yearned for the sunny gardens of his childhood, before Yuffie had ever left. Things had never been the same since she'd vanished. They'd kept in contact, even throughout Meteor, but it had been different. When she'd come home, she'd seen too much.

Yuffie had pledged herself to the WRO after Meteor, attempting to mold a world without the Shinra. They had been on the phone all the time together after that, and she'd invited Shunji out to join her for a year after Shunji's realizations about himself at age 12. He'd been silent about it, but Yuffie knew. She'd seemed to sense it in him all along, and had brought him to stay with her in the WRO as she polished him up for a tough life.

Since that time, Shunji had never been able to repay her. He'd always felt safe with her, always a piece of someone's life, always accepted. Yuffie had never hated or feared him for his preferences. Her love was unconditional, and Shunji had found solace on her shoulder more then once. Even Shunji's father had little patience, and had been near to disowning him, but Yuffie had fought for him.

Now, Shunji felt her depression and weariness choking her. He wanted to help, wished to Da Chao that there was something he could do, but Yuffie wouldn't let anyone in. It was unnerving and left a hole in Shunji's heart. He missed his beloved cousin, and desired nothing more then to steal her away from her life as an Empress and flee with her into the darkness of Wutai's twisted underbelly. No one could find them there, and they could start anew.

"Shunji!" called a girl from behind him. He turned and looked at her, recognizing the passionate brown eyes of his Midgar friend. "Oh! Then it's true! You did get into a fight!" her soft fingers reached out and touched his cheek. Shunji smiled.

"It's not a problem, Marlene," Shunji assured her gently, taking her hand and squeezing. Marlene was just a little taller then he was. "I'm tougher then I look!"

"Here," Marlene pulled her lunch box onto her hip and withdrew a bag of ice. She pressed it against his swelling eye. "This way you don't have to stick your head in the snow like an ostrich," a smile spread over her features.

"Thank you, Marlene. How are your studies on the Ancients going?"

"I'm having trouble with some of the more recent history…I can't seem to keep everything straight…" Marlene admitted, frowning faintly. Her short brown hair was braided over one shoulder, and a bit of a rosy blush complemented the pink color of her heavy coat.

"Politics are my forte. Why don't you have a seat and we'll see what we can do?" Shunji walked her to the table with his family, and pulled a chair back for her. Regardless of his preferences, he had always fancied himself as something of a gentleman. That part of his personality remained decidedly masculine. Marlene was one of the few people who recognized and appreciated this side of him.

"Thank you so much for agreeing to help me, Shunji. I'd really be lost. I don't have much of a head for government," Marlene made a face as Toki and Jozen acknowledged her with a smile.

"Shunji does. He's a shark," Jozen warned. Toki looked up.

"What did you say about heads?" he asked. Jozen sighed, and explained the phrase to his uncle in Wutain. Marlene giggled at their antics, and Shunji drew her attention to the book she had thumbed through a second ago.

"All things seem to begin and end with the Shinra, so why don't we start there?" Shunji suggested. Marlene made a face, and nodded.


	13. Gambling Buddies

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

Chapter 13: Gambling Buddies

Reno reclined and blew a plume of smoke into the wooden lounge he reclined in. Around him on all sides were yakuza, men of power and wealth, men whose lives ran dangerously parallel to Reno's. They all shared sharp eyes and honed instincts, blood dyed so deep into their fingers that if it weren't a metaphor their bones would be crimson.

More importantly, these were all men that Reno knew extraordinarily well. He had run with and fought against them time and again. In this lounge, they were all neutral. Most were hired swords, who had finally settled in with a family after the Shinra had disintegrated, their loyalty ensured by a singularly Wutain style of honor.

The chips clattered as Reno pushed them forward, onto the vibrantly green table. The dealer, a pretty young woman with dyed blonde hair and earthy makeup, looked to Reno's neighbor, a man named Wakure, to match or raise. He raised.

"So, Reno. You haven't been here on business in a while," commented Tennouji, seated across from the Turk. Reno shrugged.

"Lots more exciting things on the continent," he answered. Tennouji smiled, their conversation occurring around the hum of the others at the table.

"Rufus doesn't have much left to his name,"

"That's not my problem. As long as the money comes."

"Isn't that the way of the world?" Tennouji agreed. "You're not just here to shluff off your duties as a Turk."

"Nope," Reno took a long drag. Around him were patient men, men who liked to dance around the point. It struck Reno as funny that however impatient he was with people from Midgar, the dance-like manners of Wutains failed to perturb him. In fact, he enjoyed the cat and mouse in their deals almost as much as the cat and mouse he was going to be playing with the pretty girl at the bar later that night. "My job's always as much about luck and guts. This is the warm up," Reno smiled as smoke poured out of his nostrils.

"I don't see Rude here with you."

"He does all the real work, remember? I'm just the muscle."

"He still enjoys working for Rufus as well?"

"That guy's as strange as this fucking blizzard. You cold bastards are finally getting a taste of your own medicine."

Tennouji chuckled at Reno's words, appreciating the usually under appreciated sense of humor that got Reno into trouble. He slid a stack of chips forward, not bothering to look at his cards. Tennouji was the best player here. Reno was sure he wasn't bluffing this time either.

A woman came up and planted a tantalizing kiss on Tennouji's neck, her red fingernails standing out against his black suit. Reno gave her the once over, tossing a bedroom smile at her that she returned playfully. Tennouji smirked.

"Miss Elena is your usual entourage. I wonder how you ended up coming alone?" Tennouji began to pry into the heart of the matter. He already knew why Reno was here.

"See, I was hoping I might find her here."

"Not here," Tennouji shook his head. Reno allowed the conversation drop for a moment as the table lost to the poker master. After a new hand had been dealt, their talk resumed. "I suppose Rufus has been missing the feminine touch in the Turks then." A.k.a. 'she's been missing a while for you to come here on business.'

"She's a real looker in a dress, but you'd have to force it on her before she'd actually wear one," Reno nodded, his eyes flashing. Tennouji gave him a smile, and flipped a few poker chips. "What's worse is she was chillin' down south. Those mocha legs sure would look great in your girl's dress," Reno winked at the flirty woman with slits riding all the way up to her hip. She couldn't have been wearing much underneath it.

The double meaning was considered in Tennouji's tilt of the head and flick of chips. He reached back and slid his hand along the woman's exposed leg. She crooned in his ear.

"This dress?" he asked Reno's glimmering eyes. The Turk nodded. The girl was a hired escort, completely dazzling, but not of the highest class. That meant she would escort Tennouji all the way back to his bedroom. "Wakure, you were down south recently," Tennouji addressed Reno's neighbor. Wakure thought a moment, and held out his hand.

"Got an extra cig?" he asked. Reno extended his crumpled pack and lighter. Wakure lit his cigarette as he contemplated his answer. "There's lotsa foreign faces down there these days…lotta blondes. I didn't notice her in particular." Reno slid a small stack of chips over towards Wakure. A smile twitched on Wakure's face. "Koga was there recently. He's much more into those foreign girls. He has a fetish for involved women."

"He still sunbathing?"

"Somewhere. He hardly ever comes out of the floating palaces."

Reno nodded and wasn't finished with the game until late that night.


	14. Da Chao's Messenger

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **This story has a zillion tiny chapters. Please bear with me. I should probably just put them all up, what do you think? Although I do like the play-by-play feedback...

Chapter 14: Da Chao's Messenger

The Kisaragi brood was often so busy vying for Godo's attention that they often forgot to visit him. Right now was a particularly competitive time to display national pride, seeing as the winter festival was coming full swing now. Yuffie didn't particularly care about it, and usually left that frivolity to a team of expert and exuberant young women in her staff. They handled everything from her flamboyant garb to the patterns of fireworks that would paint her city's sky.

Yuffie took the time today to see her father, something she rarely bothered doing. She hadn't actually meant to come this way, it had just happened. Rather then waste a perfectly good opportunity to be alone with him she knocked on the door.

"Unless you've brought me a moogle, you can't come in," Godo snapped, and Yuffie looked around her. She didn't have anything else but the Leviathan Materia on her, but went in anyway. Godo looked at her expectantly. She produced the Materia and set it in his palm.

"The rest of it got away," she apologized. He examined the red sphere in his hand, and shrugged.

"I only like this part anyway. I can't stand pink," he answered, placing the Materia next to his books. While he didn't understand much of the world around him anymore, he recalled the stories from his youth and drew comfort from them. His addled and aging mind had lost its keen edge.

"What have you been doing lately?" she asked, not even bothering to ask him how he was. He was much less interested in the how of things these days, and more in the strange world the remnants of his decaying brain could piece together.

"I have been studying the ancient customs of the Cactuars. Leviathan and I have been discussing it during our fishing trips. Will you be alright sitting on the back of that walrus?" Godo squinted. Yuffie glanced down at the white mat she sat on before his futon, and nodded.

"I think he's sound enough," she answered. Godo nodded, and turned to look at a vacant space beside him.

"Are you aware that this creature came for an audience with you? She brought you your favorite part of the moogle," he presented his gift to nothing. Yuffie was greatly saddened to watch him in this state. He couldn't even recall her form as being human. Da Chao only knew what he thought of himself as. "Leviathan says you may stay, so long as you keep that walrus from eating the fish we're trying to catch." Godo reached behind him and lifted up a paper lantern on a supple wooden pole. He held it as he would a fishing rod. "We are fooling the fish into thinking it is evening by luring them to us with stars," Godo explained to Yuffie.

"Do you remember that the winter festival is coming?" Yuffie asked.

"Winter festival? It's summer," Godo frowned at her. Yuffie decided to adopt a tactic that worked well for him.

"Da Chao sent me to tell you that it's winter in his Kingdom."

"Ah yes! And how fares his kingdom?" Godo asked in excitement. "I used to live there. Did you know that Da Chao's people gave one of their own to combat the Black Star?"

"Oh?"

"You haven't heard? Da Chao was so proud!" Godo nodded, turning to Leviathan for confirmation. "The child confronted not only the Black Star, but coming of age all at once. It was so long ago. You're probably too young to remember. That was before the children of the dark earth came and laid siege on Da Chao."

"Have you ever met this person?" Yuffie asked softly.

"I don't remember Da Chao's chosen very well," Godo pursed his lips. "My own kin could learn a great deal from the chosen though. The heir to my house lives in a tower too far away from the people," Godo clucked. "Too young, too young. I hope it can change soon. The heir has much to learn. Leviathan's whiskers, I hardly remember the heir's face." He shrugged and pursed his lips, examining the lantern.

"Do you miss your heir?"

Godo paused to think of it, and shrugged. "I cannot seem to remember anything to miss it." Yuffie felt a stabbing pain in her heart. He glanced towards Leviathan. "Ah, he is not looking. Can you remain silent on a subject?" Yuffie only nodded. "I have seen something in the water…" Godo motioned with his hand, as if to incorporate the vastness of the ocean. "I left my boat once, to follow this sunken sun in the water, for surely a sun deserves to hang in the sky. But when I came to the star, I felt so sad…and I knew that if I should touch it, it would be destroyed…" Godo's brows knit together. His knuckles went white against the pole. "And I had to run away, because I could hear the harpies coming back. I couldn't…I couldn't let them touch the star…"

For one moment, Yuffie looked into Godo's eyes as they focused on her with an unspeakable sense of loss and despair. He glanced again at Leviathan and beckoned her closer. Yuffie crept forward on her hands and knees, as Godo's gnarled hand closed around both of her much smaller ones. He leaned forward.

"I buried the sun in the ocean, I know it. I don't know why, but you can't let _them_ take it."

"Who?" Yuffie whispered back.

"I don't know…" Godo frowned. "If you see the sun, you can't let them touch it!"

"I won't," Yuffie promised miserably. Godo put a hand on her cheek, and leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

"If you see my heir, would you say that I am well? The heir shouldn't know about the sun, or Leviathan. It will bring too much trouble."

"Your secret is safe with me." Yuffie gave him a tired smile, and Godo patted her back.

"You look tired. Climb in off that nasty walrus and sleep a while. I imagine the stars will have caught dinner by the time you wake up," Godo pulled her onto his futon, and tucked her in, before turning his back to her. Dazed, Yuffie smiled at him, but didn't have energy enough to protest. Instead, she watched Godo a moment, memorizing his fishing, and closed her eyes to drift off.


	15. Anonymous

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Things now begin to get confusing...

Chapter 15: Anonymous

"There are certainly far too many of the Kisaragi brood," scoffed a man, sounding tired over the phone.

"Yes, well, killing them all is out of the question. The Empress, whether she likes them or not, will protect them," replied an even voice on the other end. This one sounded female. "Besides, killing all fifteen of Godo's children would be conspicuous."

"The Empress might feel loyalty to her siblings through blood, but that is not reciprocated. Inciting squabbles between the weaker and pitting the stronger against the Empress would certainly bring her to her knees."

"You're suggesting family strife?"

"Yes,"

"And how to start?"

"Leave the stupid ones to me. You should be concerned about throwing that blood hound Shuya off, and riling up the most cunning."

"Which would that be?"

"You're a smart woman. I trust you'll figure it out."

"Is it necessary for me to do this on my own?"

"Keep playing the games you are now, and the fox will reveal itself. You have to be trustworthy. It already knows a thing or two about your plotting anyway." The man seemed to smile. The woman sighed.

"Let's just agree to finish it before I'm old,"

"Agreed."


	16. Q & A

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** This chapter gets pretty gruesome. Please be forewarned and don't read it if you can't handle it. This is a torture scene, and I thought it was pretty mild as far as something like that would go. It's a little explicit, but not morosely so...

Chapter 16: Q & A

"I can play this game all night if you want," Reno sighed, rolling his shoulders. Rude was standing quietly by the door of the mildewed hotel room. He was emotionless and unmoving. The fluorescent lighting of the bathroom really made Koga look sallow, his sunken eyes and sharp cheeks brought out with harsher shadows. Smattered in bruises and oozing blood, Koga was still refusing to talk. Reno had to give him credit for guts.

"Fine," Reno shrugged, removing his jacket and rolling up his sleeves. He looked over at Reno and jerked his chin at Koga. Rude stepped forward and pulled his gloves on tighter. "Rude's so squeamish. He hates this part. That's why he wears gloves. Now men like me feel a little blood builds grit. I'm gonna show you why in just a minute."

Reno didn't fancy himself sadistic, just pragmatic. There wasn't time for due process. He decided he would avoid informing Yuffie of his interrogation methods, and gambled on the fact that this botch mess of genetic scum wouldn't complain to her. Selecting a particularly strong knife, Reno entered the bathroom again. Rude was holding Koga's arm out, fingers splayed open.

"So. Here's how you build character. I'm gonna ask you a question, and if you listen to that sweet voice of dishonesty and lie to me, or hold out, you lose a finger." Reno made sure to smile like a flight attendant as he spoke, and poised the cutting knife. A cold sweat was on Koga's brow, and he was squirming beneath Rude's iron grip. "Now, round one. Do you know that woman?" Reno nodded over at the picture of Elena they'd taped to the grimy bathroom mirror.

"Yes!" Koga cried instantly.

"Oh! You're good! How about this one? Did you kidnap her?"

"No!" Koga wailed, and instantly Reno chopped his left pinky off. Koga shrieked. "I swear! I just hit on her in a bar! That's all!" he cried, and his ring finger went. He shrieked again, writhing. Blood gushed out of the fresh wounds as the fingers fell to the floor with a soft plip. "Okay! Okay!" he sobbed, baring his teeth. "I got her to follow me outside!"

"How'd you do that?" Reno tilted his head.

"She was pretty drunk, and I thought she was hot…I hit on her…and she came back to my place…"

"You scored with Elena? Fuck man! I owe you a goddamn wad of cash, Rude," Reno yowled, and Koga looked absolutely terrified.

"I'm always right," Rude told him evenly.

"That fuckin' burns me up! Hey, was she any good?" Reno turned now to the paling Koga, who looked like he was just convincing himself that he was saved. Just as Reno saw the light turning to hope in Koga's eyes, Reno's smile widened.

Thunk! Koga's middle finger fell on the floor as he twisted and writhed.

"You idiot! Elena wouldn't sleep with trash like you," Reno guffawed, knowing full well about her relationship with Tseng. "And just so you know, don't lie about fuckin' your kidnap victim. If a dude has to lie about screwin' a chick, it _shows_. I can see it."

"Where'd you learn to do that?" Rude asked.

"Do what?"

"How can you tell if they're lying?"

"'Cuz they squeeze their legs shut," Reno pointed, looking up at Rude. Rude leaned over to examine the phenomena, which in turn made Koga perform the very action. Reno smirked. "That guy that used to run interrogations for AWOL SOLDIERS taught me all about it when I was in training. You know, the one that liked little boys?" Koga swallowed hard, looking between the two of them.

"You're so full of shit," Rude almost laughed, shaking his head.

"Okay, yeah. I totally made that up, dude. Sorry, but your face was great," Reno patted Koga's shoulder. The man's sobs got more desperate. "What were we talking about before?" a slight crease formed between Reno's eyebrows. "Let's see, we've got three fingers gone, one, two, three," Reno mimed cutting off the fingers by slamming the knife down on the porcelain sink beside the stub that used to hold said fingers. Koga screamed in terror, struggling. "So, three fingers down, that puts us at….oh yeah! I remember! Back to the kidnapping. So, how'd you really do it? There had to be help. No offense, bud, but you're not really the type to wipe the floor with Elena…and that's what it'd take to kidnap her."

"I had help!" Koga wept.

"I thought so. Now tell me who it was?"

"I don't know…"

Reno cut down at an angle this time, leaving a slanted area for maximum pain and bleeding of the index finger. "Oh, I'm getting sloppy now," Reno apologized, going back and sawing the left over edge off. "Kids today just jump into things without the details. Didn't your mother ever teach you not to pull pranks with strangers?"

"Okay! Okay! The guy's name was Sonji!" Koga panted, his head lolling back, drenched in sweat. Reno was sure he smelled urine. Blood was all over the sink and floor now, and Reno's hands were covered in it. "I thought it was weird he was coming. He's a legend," Koga had to pause, swallowing hard.

"See, this part is shock, Koga. Your body is freaking out. How's he rank on the pussy scale?"

"He's breaking a lot faster. We haven't even gotten to his teeth," Rude shook his head, as if he were disappointed.

"Oh, shit. I left the good pliers back in Edge…"

"I thought I saw those big clunky ones in the trunk," Rude said thoughtfully.

"Eew…those ones are bad. They usually rip out bits of bone and multiple teeth at once. Remember that one guy? Whoo boy. We didn't even get the information he died so quick…" Reno shook his head, as if this were a great tragedy. Koga began hyperventilating. "Easy, buddy. We won't cross that bridge until we come to it. Here, have a glass of water. We can't have you dyin' on us," Reno offered him the cup with one bloody hand. Koga was too frightened to argue, and gulped the water thankfully. It spilled down his chin and the front of his shirt. Reno encouraged him with that creepy hostess smile. Their victim looked a little better.

"Where were we again?" Reno tossed the glass aside.

"Sonji!" Koga provided, squirming.

"That's right. Tell me about Sonji."

"He used to be a hired sword for the Shinra, and he's famous for assassinations. I don't know why he kidnapped your girl, I really don't. He just said he needed her. And I don't think its him, because there was some extreme cash coming…"

"Why'd they use you then, huh Koga?"

"They needed a familiar face to get in with the Floating City merchants."

"They who?"

"Whoever hired Sonji." Reno lifted the hand with the butcher's knife. "H-hey! I'm just a peon! Don't cut off my fingers for stuff you know is true!" Koga screeched. Reno gave him a bewildered stare and wiped nonexistent sweat off his forehead.

"Geeze, jumpy much? Can you believe this guy?" Reno shared his shock with Rude. Rude shrugged.

"Paranoia. I hear it's common in petty thieves."

"Maybe I'm building too much character. Koga, baby, don't let this keep you from rising to greatness in the underworld! Grit! It's grit! You'll need it for the top!" Reno cheered. "Okay. How about these Floating City people?"

"My ma…she owns one of the brothels there. That's why I have any leverage. I don't usually…I don't usually trade with them…" Koga closed his eyes, breathing hard.

"So we'll go pay your ma a visit then, huh?"

"No! Not her! We took her to this newfangled place, the 'Pink Toad's Umbrella!' That's where Sonji sold her! Please don't hurt my ma!" Koga pleaded. Reno nodded.

"You know, I had heard of the place. My date the other night was saying it's where all the yakuza kids are going these days," Reno told Rude conversationally.

"How come?"

"I guess it's supposed to be like some of those edgy Edge clubs. You know, raunchy underneath the silk," Reno shrugged. "But who the hell came up with the 'Pink Toad's Umbrella'?"

"Is it Midgarean or Wutain?" Rude cocked his head.

"I dunno. Hey Koga, do you Wutains call it that in Wutain or in Midgarean?" Reno looked to their captive for confirmation.

"They say it in Midgarean," Koga wheezed.

"Young people here just like knowing how to say anything in Midgarean. They probably just picked the only three words in Midgarean they knew," Rude hypothesized. Reno shrugged.

"Well, Koga. I guess we're done here. You won't mind picking up the motel, will you? I only do that for the ladies, and, well, you're just not my type. You understand, don't you?"

"Y-yeah. Sure."

"If it happens that you're wrong and I can't find Elena, I'm skipping you and paying your mom a visit. If you've lied, that would mean that she was a bad parent, and we can't have that," Reno pursed his lips.

"I swear, I swear," Koga groveled. Reno nodded to Rude, and they cut the man loose. He wallowed on the floor, sobbing over his left hand, as the Turks packed up. They were just leaving when Reno turned back.

"And Koga! Look at me now," Reno called sweetly. Koga lifted his head from the mercifully cool tiles of the floor, and his eyes widened. Reno pulled the trigger before the man could scream, and the back of his head exploded. "I always hate customer service. You can't just blow their faces off without telling them first," Reno sighed, a smirk replacing his smile. Rude flicked his wrist and the body went up in flames.

"Coulda fooled me," his partner answered. Reno was examining his shirt.

"Aw, I'll have to clean the suit up before we can go to the floating district. Do you think the princess knows any ninja drycleaners who get the blood out with no questions asked?"

"I think the Empress would call them servants," Rude offered. Reno contemplated this a moment.

"I'll just buy a new one. She'll pick up the charge, since I'm helping her investigation after all," Reno shrugged. "Do you have a spare shirt in the trunk?" Rude gave him a pointed look up and down as they reached the car. The trunk popped open.

"Nothin' you'd fit in," he answered.

"I'm just going shopping in it, behemoth. That's all," Reno grumbled, stripping the shirt and jacket off while pulling on a much larger button down on. He got in the car as he rolled up the sleeves. "Wasn't there some sort of tourist mall on the way here?"

"Yeah, I think so."


	17. Snappy Sisters

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **It begins...

Chapter 17: Snappy Sisters

Yuffie drew deep, meditative breaths. She sat in her frigid office, after removing layer after layer, and drew a metaphorical balance between the cold outside and the incinerating fury inside. The door to her study was bolted shut, so she felt safe seated in nothing but her underwear.

The message had come in that morning by personal servant, the whole problem deemed to delicate to go any other way. Yuffie had been enjoying a lackadaisical breakfast in the snow with both of her sons. They had built a snow table for this select purpose, and had salvaged branches from the slumbering garden to protect the water crystals from melting from the heat of their steamy breakfast. A snowball fight had interrupted them, and Yuffie was just sitting back down to enjoy her cold eggs and tea, when the messenger had apologetically interrupted. Upon seeing the seal, she'd opened it instantly, and had felt her stomach drop out.

Mariko and Kaori, two of Yuffie's sisters, were now threatening to publicly humiliate not only each other, but the family, if Yuffie would not mediate their case. It was a squabble over land. Godo had made certain all his children had land enough, and that it was _his_ children, not their spouses, that controlled the estates. In Yuffie's eyes, this was a terrible pity. In the marriages arranged, Mariko and Kaori's spouses would have done a much better job. Both girls were vain and cruel, infinitely more interested in their appearances than the well-being of their tenants. Yuffie had spent many long hours tending to the needs of her sisters' people and enforcing strict regulations on their spending. It consumed a ridiculous amount of time and energy appeasing the girls, but it spared Yuffie's people.

Worse then that, both girls were insisting that Yuffie travel to see them. Yuffie was deciding on how to lure them both to the capitol, when Shuya appeared from a servant's passage. He was positively livid, and he threw his heavy coat over Yuffie.

"Put some clothes on before you die," he snarled. Yuffie fixed him with her hawk eyes.

"What now?" she demanded.

"Kaori has released a list of men Mariko has had intimate affairs with, and is detaining said suspects and interrogating them." The bite in his voice could have frozen water. Yuffie closed her eyes, swallowing the urge to collect her conformer and lodge it deep in each girl's heart. "What's worse is Mariko's husband is having their children checked. If any of them are not his, he threatens to divorce Mariko. Since she's made a cuckold of him, he's permitted to keep all the land and titles and turn her out."

"Give me an hour and I'll have equal dirt on Kaori. That will at least give us bargaining chips. Damn them," Yuffie clenched her fists. "Mariko could face the death sentence…Kaori's and idiot. She's slandering her own name too."

"We need to move fast. What have you decided?" Shuya demanded. Yuffie was slowly pulling the layers of her plain clothing back on. She stood and paced to the window, glaring out of it.

"I need you there for damage control," she replied. "I need you to buy a day for me, so I can compile my evidence and plan my bribes. How many people know?"

"Kaori went straight to the press," Shuya grit his teeth. "They haven't printed yet. I managed to freeze the editor in chief."

"You have a meeting again with him this evening, and I'll get in and destroy the stuff. Just…buy me time. I only need a day,"

"Will do," Shuya nodded. Yuffie's heart stuttered a moment. She put a hand on the windowsill to steady herself.

"Is Nayuta here?" she turned and looked back at him. "Has he returned from Edge?"

"As far as I know,"

"I take it back. I need two days. Do you think you can manage that?"

Shuya read her mind instantly. He held out his hands.

"I'll do what I can. Get them to his house and double back," he sighed. Yuffie pulled everything else on quickly, and bundled herself up before Shuya was even out the door. She had thrown it open and vaulted three floors down to the grand hall where her sons were currently reciting children's rhymes from memory.

"Hokuto, Mitsuru, get your shoes on," she commanded. Her sons jumped together, looking her up and down. Their wide eyes betrayed a degree of fright and uncertainty. "Now," she snapped, and they leaped into action.

"What's happening?" the boys' instructor asked. Yuffie waved it off.

"You're free for the next few days," Yuffie answered without answering. She followed her children, and ushered them outside when they were properly bundled. A car was already waiting for them.

"What's happening?" Mitsuru asked.

"You're going to stay with your uncle Nayuta," Yuffie replied. The boys looked at each other, and then back at Yuffie. "Business," she told them. "See if you can find all the roots in the characters as we drive by," she suggested, pointing one out. Her children were quickly engrossed.


	18. Brotherly Love

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** This is Nayuta, Yuffie's oldest sibling. He's Shunji's father, and about 39 years old.

Chapter 18: Brotherly Love

Nayuta was always surprised at the unparalleled caution his younger sister used. She was ever watchful and nothing escaped her. Nayuta had heard of the trouble between Mariko and Kaori early on, and was as impressed as ever with Yuffie's quick reflexes.

"Well, little sister," Nayuta looked at the children as they scampered past him. They quickly vanished within the chambers of his palace. "You're going to have quite a time with our…lesser…blood. What are your plans?"

"Does murder count?" Yuffie growled, her teeth grinding. Nayuta contemplated her boyish clothing, and looked back over his shoulder. The servant standing there came towards him.

"Bring me a kimono from my wife's closet. Pack it for travel," he instructed. She bowed and scurried off. "The reporters will probably be swarming. You'd better be prepared," he warned her. Yuffie growled. She had always reminded him of her mother, which was almost an oxymoron. Where Yuffie's mother was graceful and refined, Yuffie was loud and uncouth. Her time around AVALANCHE had worsened these factors, and at the same time, she had a powerful and consuming personality. Not in the sense of overpowering or overbearing, as much as she came off as bossy, but there was a charisma to her that had endeared her to the hearts of Wutai.

"Blackmail is the actual plan. Hopefully I can get Kaori to take back her comments and apologize under the pretext of delusion or other. She's a hypochondriac, so it shouldn't be hard to either convince her she was sick or divert the public's eye from Mariko." Yuffie crossed her arms, brooding, snowflakes still melting in her hair and a bead of water slipping down her cheek.

"How was Shunji when you saw him last?" Nayuta asked, knowing she kept in better contact with his son then he did. He reached out and smoothed the cold water from her face with a callused hand, realizing how dry Yuffie's skin was. She hadn't been taking care of herself again.

"Fine. Yoshitoki and Jozen are with him now, so he won't be so lonely," Yuffie gave him a smile this time. A part of Nayuta cried out again that his son was abnormal. It had taken a great deal of persuasion and coaxing on Yuffie's part to get him to accept the boy back into the family. Nayuta's fingers strayed back into Yuffie's damp hair, half fallen from the ponytail she'd stuffed it in hurriedly. Her mother had been that way too…

"You okay?" she asked him, concerned. He snapped back to reality, smiling.

"Just tired. You're hard to keep up with. I don't know how you manage your estate and your sisters'."

"Like this," Yuffie pounded a fist into her hand and pretended to grind something into her palm. Her expression was overly fierce.

"More like this," Nayuta laughed, tracing the exhausted circles beneath Yuffie's eyes. She gave him a maniac grin, lifting her chin.

"I'm unstoppable," she promised, taking the wrapped parcel from his servant. She gave him a flamboyant bow, spun on her heel, and was gone. Nayuta's smile lingered after the smell of Yuffie's shampoo had vanished, and he turned to look after the direction of her children. Kale was such a fool. Well, steps had already been taken to rectify Yuffie's unfortunate situation.


	19. Guilt Trip

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any FFVII characters, places, etc.

Chapter 19: Guilt Trip

Vincent had been careful not to come to Wutai. He had avoided it to the best of his abilities, using every tactic he could to both conceal this deliberate aversion and capture his prey before it got here. To be honest, he had hesitated in following Koga to this place. That's probably why the carnage of his untimely demise was not of Vincent's own doing.

Sighing, Vincent shifted the remains with a booted foot. He glared over the rim of his cape at it, irritated that the ashes of his bounty were so useless. That was a lot of effort wasted. He glanced at the charred fingers, separated by a cutting instrument, cast carelessly around the body. If it had been anywhere but Wutai, Vincent would have been sure it was the Turks, but this was Yakuza territory. They were just as cruel as and sometimes worse then Turks.

"Unfortunate," the policeman beside Vincent shook his head. "They get better and better at covering up their crimes, the Yakuza. Especially in these places, any screaming would have sent other tenants running rather then dialing for help." The older man gave Vincent a wry smile, and Vincent nodded. He now had a decision to make. Should he investigate Koga's death, or give up and head back home? It was obvious someone didn't want him to talk, but Vincent didn't know if he could handle hiding in Wutai. For all he knew, Yuffie was already on her way to see him.

The phone in his pocket distracted him.

"Shelk," he answered.

"How are you?" she answered, that shy smile in her voice. It had taken her a long time to really smile, and when she did, it simply bloomed across her features.

"Fine. Did you need anything?"

"Where are you?"

"Nibelheim," he lied. He didn't want _anyone_ to know he'd been here and had said nothing to Yuffie. No one had ever said anything to him, but there had been tension between he and the other members of AVALANCHE since he had missed the wedding. Cid had never forgiven him though. They hadn't conversed in almost five years. Reeve was the other member who had almost severed ties with him, although they were on a shakier terms of friendship. Cloud, Tifa, Barret, and Red assumed that whatever it was, he and Yuffie would have to hash it out, and moved on.

"Has anything turned up?" Shelk cut into his thoughts.

"Someone else got him," Vincent replied.

"Unusual, but not unheard of," the red head clucked her tongue sadly. "You're losing your edge in your old age," she teased him. Vincent allowed himself to smile, and his expression to soften.

"I am somewhere between sixty and seventy," he replied. Shelk laughed, a delightful sound. Laughter had been a real hard goal, first achieved when a pie had been mashed into his face on April Fool's. Yuffie…it had been Yuffie who'd teased it from Shelk first…

"So what will you do now?" Shelk inquired.

"Find a new one,"

"Will you be doing that over here?"

"Yes."

"Why don't you come over for dinner then? My computer is better then yours anyway," she added.

"I'd be glad to," he nodded, feeling strange. Yuffie had begged him to go to dinner with her so many times, and he'd declined every single time. He and Shelk ate out together about once a month. A horrible feeling was writhing in his guts. He should never have come to Wutai.

"Are you doing alright? You sound a little distraught," Shelk frowned on the other end.

"I'll be back by this evening," he brushed the question off.

"Okay. See you then?"

"Yes. Goodbye."

"Fly safe," Shelk cautioned as she hung up. Vincent closed his phone and hailed the nearest taxi. He had to leave before he made himself sick. What the hell had gone wrong all those years ago?

It wasn't until he got to the air docks that he encountered Yuffie. It made him squirm when he recognized her face on the screen of a plasma television, speaking in a press conference. If he'd thought she was grown at 21, she was awe inspiring dressed in a formal Wutain Kimono, her hair done immaculately, with vigor and youth in her face. She answered questions smiling, and even fired off a few jokes to the crowd, some at the expense of the simpering woman beside her, bearing a vague, much fatter resemblance.

Vincent simply stood and stared, holding his ticket in one hand. She was laughing at something a reporter said, entirely disarming. Her eyes sparked with her reply, leaning forward and letting her smile run away with her features. Every part of her had smiled, amusement and mischief radiating out of her.

Well, it looked like he'd done her a favor by skipping out on the wedding. They had made their break, not that Vincent had ever returned her feelings. Still, he did feel bad about not saying anything and leaving completely. He hadn't wanted to interfere in her wedding or her married life, and had decided it would be best to remove any temptation. Still…

Watching her, he realized there were edges of weariness in her, in the way she tilted her head and the faint shadows beneath her eyes. Running around with her on so many missions had engraved the specifics of her actions in his mind. He knew that the way she was tracing the base of the mike with her fingers meant that she was nervous, and that the occasional shifting of weight meant she was irritated. Overall, though she seemed to enjoy talking with the reporters and telling them what they should think, she was upset over whatever had brought her onto the television.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he strode onto the transport.


	20. A Woman Wronged

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** Again, a bit gruesome, but nothing that will leave emotional damage. Elena's a bit rough with her capturer as they interrogate him. PS - We're a third through now!

Chapter 20: A Woman Wronged

Unbeknownst to Vincent and equally as interested in the broadcast, Reno sat in the proprietor of the Pink Toad's Umbrella's most comfortable chair, enjoying one of his fine cigars and watching Yuffie Kisaragi speak. Rude was leafing through the account books, going over the deals. He was better at written Wutain then Reno had ever been, although Reno could write every dirty word. This was because as a pup, during the first few months he was here in Wutai, he'd had relations with a hooker in the main city's pleasure district. She had gleefully taught him all sorts of things, one of them being how to write characters all over her body in chocolate. He'd aced all of his Wutain exams and knew how to write dirty letters that would set fire to the cheeks of any of his Wutain prey.

"It was about time," Elena snapped as she came into the room, breaking Reno's thoughts. He looked over at her, as a pair of muscle-bound bodyguards hauled her in. She jerked her arms away from them, and straightened the flashy, imitation kimono she was wearing. Boy did she ever have legs! Reno whistled and gave her the once over, before going back to the television.

"Sure, I'm just fine," Elena growled.

"You can leave now," Rude instructed the burly men. They looked at their bloody boss, who only croaked an agreement. Reno hadn't needed to play butcher, especially not after spotting Elena brooding in a cage and refusing to partake in the fun. All it had taken for this man was a bit of roughing up. He apparently was not used to having girls with protection sold to him.

"You okay?" Reno asked Elena anyway, watching as Yuffie said something and laughed. She was waving off a question eagerly, and assuring the reporter of a different answer then he thought he wanted.

"What are you watching?" the blonde demanded when the door shut. She stormed over, pulling her skimpy kimono shut tighter, only to expose more of the sides of her breasts. "Give me your jacket, you louse," she commanded, holding out her hand. Reno shirked it off. "Hey, that's Yuffie. What's happening?"

"Covering up a family scandal," Rude answered. Reno glanced over at him. "I read it in the paper. Two of her sisters are bickering. The one that could have ruined the other is taking back what she said and claiming it was due to her delusions from the latest fever. The paper described that sister as sickly and given to tantrums."

"Looks like they're eating it up. Boy, could you imagine that sort of press coverage for the Shinra? We'd have been unstoppable." Reno snickered. Elena was trying to pull Reno's jacket further down her shapely thighs. She kicked off the stiletto heels.

"What's the sudden interest in the kid?" Elena asked.

"She's funding your rescue," Reno answered. Elena blanched.

"What? Why?"

"She wants us to investigate the kidnappings." Making an O out of his mouth, Reno blew a lazy smoke ring, followed by two more. He watched as they drifted towards the TV, catching the upper right part of Yuffie's face. A carefully placed ornament winked in her hair.

"I'd heard they kept a painful close eye on her since she got married. It must be worse then I thought if she's hiring _us_."

"Hey, favor with the Wutai Empress can't be bad. Think she'd marry Rufus? We'd live like fuckin' kings!" Reno cackled, and took a huge puff of his cigar. He exhaled in delighted satiation through his nose, relishing the burn and distinct flavor of the cigar.

"Can we get out of here? Take some of those horrible things with you and let's go. I've had more then enough of this place," Elena shivered.

"Well bub, now we've got Elena. You've been such a big help already," Reno smiled, flipping off the TV as Yuffie walked away from the podium. He wasn't sure how she could even see after staring at that many flashing cameras, but it had made the sparks already in her eyes more mischievous. Putting the cigar between his teeth, Reno stood up and sauntered towards the man with his hands in his pockets. The proprietor, a staunch, balding man, whimpered as Reno approached. "See, I want to know more about the guys who sold this pretty chicky to you," he bobbed his head at Elena. She seemed to have thought better about the stilettos.

"W-what?"

"You know, Koga and Sonji?" Reno chewed on the cigar meditatively.

"I d-don't know who you're talking about," he stammered. Elena's heel jutted down and drove like a stake into his bound palm. He howled, but the music outside was too loud for the guards to come to hear and come to his rescue.

"How about _now?_" Elena snarled, twisting her foot. Reno gave her a smile, and tapped ash all over the man's back.

"You're so goddamn sexy. I'm gonna have to talk to Tseng about makin' that your new uniform," Reno purred through the heavy smoke in the room.

"You want your ass to be next?" she growled.

"Sign me up."

"Where the fuck are the guys that trounced me and dragged me here?" Elena ignored him and turned back to their prisoner.

"I-I really dunno…" he wept, tears and snot sliding down his face. "K-Koga…he comes and goes…"

"Oh yeah. We found him. He ratted on you…'course, it took four fingers for him to spill it," Reno said thoughtfully.

"What?"

"I had to cut four of his fingers off before he'd tell me where to find you, Elle. It was almost kinda cute how hard he tried to make us believe he'd screwed you," Reno supplied conversationally.

"How about Sonji?" Elena demanded. The man whimpered. Elena held out her hand. "Give me your switch," she commanded. Reno provided it and watched Elena do something he would have never thought she could when they'd first met. She bent over and with a flash of silver, severed the man's ear from his body. His body arched up and he shrieked, writhing spasmodically. Elena lifted her foot and stabbed that heel down into one of his shoulder. His voice broke and then rasped painfully as he sobbed. "Where's Sonji?" she repeated.

Reno loved watching Elena work. Tseng was very…persuasive. If words didn't work, he was artful and delicate in torture, exacting the most amount of pain with the least amount of blood. Elena, while not the same butcher that Reno and Rude could be, was pragmatic in her approach. She wasn't fond of interrogations the way Reno was, and preferred to get them over with quickly. There was no dancing about the point to her, and she severed ears and struck Tseng's pressure points with quick and decisive blows. Cutting off an ear was the least of this man's worries if he really upset Elena.

"H-he's not familiar to me. Someone high up wanted him to do the job…"

"Who hired him?"

"I don't know…he's too pricey and too hardcore…this job didn't suit him at all!" the man wailed. Reno slid his eyes to Rude, who watched with the usual masked indifference. "They coulda gotten some low end mercs. I don't know why they used him, or what they'd want with someone like you."

"Where would I find someone in his usual price range?"

"Th-there aren't a lot…you're talking…high nobility…or the most powerful yakuza…"

"Do you know why they would bring me here?"

"No! I don't know any of those guys! I'm here for the kids and the tourists! The idiots who don't know anything about beauty and just wanna fuck!" The man clenched his teeth and paled at the murderous look in Elena's eyes. She dislodged her heel from one shoulder and thrust it into the other. He screamed again, his body wracked with spasms.

"Any guesses then?" She said in a dangerous whisper.

"N-no. No…I'm sorry…" he begged. After another twist or two and he still had nothing, Elena pulled her heel out. Reno's mind was already going through possibilities, honing in on where Tennouji might be at this point in time. Tennouji was connected to one of the most powerful families in all of Wutai, a family that had bought its way into nobility during the Shinra era, and had stayed there even after the Kisaragis were reinstated. There was nothing he could do about working the high nobility, people who Reno knew had been to proud to be bought out by the Shinra. Tennouji's mafia family would have to be his inside information.

"I guess killing him would bring in too much attention," Elena growled after the man had passed out. Rude only gave her a nod.

"If we're going to stay in the Empress' good graces, we can't disrupt things too much. It would look bad since we need her select permission to come into Wutai anyway," Rude explained. Elena pulled her shoes off, and went to the desk. She sat on the dark wood and collected a few tissues to clean off her dainty toes.

"I'm going to need a new uniform," Elena grumbled. "And _another_ ID."

"The Empress'll cover it," Reno said automatically. "I already made her get me another suit," Reno modeled his current rumpled attire. Rude had pulled out his phone. "Who you callin'?"

"Who else would know about the nobility?" Rude asked.

"Woah! She gave you digits! Score bud!"

"She handed them to me while you were daydreaming in the window," Rude answered.

"Can I have them?"

"She said you weren't allowed to have them."

"What? Why not? You got somethin' goin' on with her? Huh you sly dog?"

"Who the fuck wants you calling at three a.m. asking them to spot some cash for booze and girls?" Elena stabbed the words at him as if they were daggers. Reno feigned injury, but fuzzily recalled times when he'd called her in a not-so-sober state. As he recalled, he'd asked her to come out with him so he could introduce her to a few "friends" of his.

"Was that the time I wanted you to make out and stuff with those girls from the bar? Are you still bitter about that?"

"Among other things," Elena growled. Reno wasn't sure if she was referring to the kissing or if it was one thing on a laundry list of other things. She was certainly vindictive enough to have numerous lists, and Reno was sure he would appear on just about every one of them.

"Empress Kisaragi," Rude said, and both Reno and Elena dropped their argument to listen. "How are things with your sisters?" His eyebrow arched at a response, and then Reno and Elena could both hear a string of loud and distinctly angry swears. "Yes. We found Elena. She's fine, more or less. Are you in a position to discuss more…delicate matters?" He waited. "Do you know a man named Sonji?"

There was distinctly silence on the other end of the phone. Reno and Elena unconsciously leaned in closer to listen in. Yuffie said something, and Rude nodded before hanging up.

"Our instructions are to talk to the yakuza family Karasuma. She says she will investigate the nobility. She'll call us to meet again in about a week. She sounded…concerned…"

"My turn," Reno smiled, and flipped his phone out.


	21. Tukey Talk

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** I just love the Turks. I think they must have the closest friendships of anyone in the FFVII series...especially in this story.

Chapter 21: Turkey Talk

Elena sighed as the water burst over her skin. The filth and grim of a month working in Wutai's pleasure district seemed to finally fall away. She still felt odd, and knew it wouldn't be okay again until she was snuggled in Tseng's satin sheets with his arms firmly settled about her after she'd ravaged his perfect physique and tangled his thick hair in her fingers. Mm…maybe some chocolate…and whipped cream…

Well, she could stand here in the shower for hours and contemplate that delightful moment, or she could finish the job and actually live it. She wrestled with the cap the shampoo bottle and drenched her blonde locks in the rich gel, rigorously massaging her scalp. She scrubbed herself brutally for over half an hour, until her skin was rosy and tender, as close to really clean as she could feel, and then climbed out and wrapped herself in a bathrobe. It was fluffy and soft, and she sighed in delight.

Empress Kisaragi was a generous employer. It was almost like old times working with her, before the Shinra had collapsed. Elena, Reno, and Rude were situated in a suite in an exclusive hotel, a place where their identities were not important, as well as where the money was coming from. It was a pricey bill, but the place was tightly guarded and unobserved all at once. Neutral guards were silent on all dealings, and the proprietor seemed to be a friend to all.

"You 'bout ready for dinner?" Reno asked, lounging in the spacious conjoining room of the two bedrooms. He was flipping through the channels.

"Do I look ready?"

"You'd turn heads. Good enough for me," Reno shrugged, smiling as he ground his cigarette butt into the ashtray. Elena smirked. She ran her hands through her damp hair.

"Have you turned up anything useful?" she asked. Reno shrugged, flipping the TV off and turning his attention to her. He looked restless.

"Not much. Sonji is someone the Yakuza seem to try and avoid. They know he has no loyalties and he's smart. He uses what he learns against them."

"What sort of idiot bites the hands that feed him?" Elena scoffed. Reno yawned.

"I'm all worn out from gamblin' for a week straight. Nice of the princess to foot the bill," he stretched his arms up. Gambling was one of the few neutral ways to interact with the yakuza, and even that was risky. Elena had to admit that for all of Reno's vices, he was a sharp hit man. He played dirty and knew all the filthy tricks. Sometimes she felt like she didn't credit him enough. After watching him play cards with some of the greatest murderers in all of Wutai, dangerous enough that Reno wouldn't even accept a drink while he sat with them, Elena had forced herself to reevaluate the sum of Reno's pros and cons.

"Yes, terribly strenuous to play with the Empress' money," Elena mocked him anyway. Reno laughed.

"You feelin' lonely without Tseng here? There's more then enough of me to go around,"

"Don't you have a date with the bar tender?"

"Why? You jealous?"

"I'd sleep with Rude first," she shot back. He laid his hands over his heart, scrunching his face up in pain.

"My key," Rude's gloved hand slid over her shoulder, holding out a key card. Elena smirked and took it, making a show of sliding it inside of her robe.

"I guess I'll have to console myself with the bartender _and_ that pretty girl from the front desk," Reno sighed, as if this was a problem.

"Keep that key. I'm sure he's already lost his," Rude advised Elena. She smirked, and turned now to look at the taller man. He was looking at Reno pointedly, one eyebrow raised. He carried two suitcases in either hand.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Gifts from the Empress," he replied. Reno whistled and hauled himself up.

"Damn! She's one helluva sugar mamma! How did you get such a sweet deal?" he demanded, looking hurt. Rude smirked, but said nothing. He set the cases down on the coffee table and opened them up. Inside was state of the art stuff, with a note from Tseng.

"If Elena is kidnapped again, I'm killing both of you," was written plainly. "PS – Yuffie paid for all of this and smuggled it in here. You'd better bust your asses and land a good deal with her. Elena, that's your job."

"I like it when he uses the rough words," Reno crooned in a high voice. Elena drove her elbow into his ribs, appreciating the "oomph" more then she should have. He laughed and turned to the weaponry, selecting a gleaming nightstick. His eyes sparked. "This is _good_ shit. This is like…WRO shit…"

"She worked for Reeve for five years after Meteor," Rude replied.

"Still," Reno pulled out a handgun, eying the barrel. Elena took it from him and aimed. There was a pleasing weight in it, and Elena would bet her next paycheck that there was next to no recoil. Rude opened the second case and there were all sorts of contraptions, including communicators, various assortments of antidotes, a manual on poisons, and a list of cases involving Sonji. Three cell phones were also present, and in tampering with one, Elena found only the best technology inside of it.

"_Is_ she your sugar mamma?" Elena turned to Rude. Reno cackled, scrolling through the numbers in his phone.

"Empress Hotline," Reno smiled, showing Elena. Yuffie had indeed labeled her number as such. Taped to the keys of Reno's phone was a warning that if he used it without reason, he would be smeared across Da Chao faster then he could blink. Elena laughed, her fingers straying over the leather holster for her new pistols. There was even a full sniper with ammunition, in case they needed it. Reno turned his nightstick over, and looked at another taped note.

"She really doesn't trust you," Elena surmised in great delight.

"Did _you_ get any notes? Some Haiku love poetry?" Reno shot at Rude. Rude provided the dedication scribbled on the inside of the Sonji file. It was only research notes. "I bet it's code for 'I'm gonna ravish your sexy bod the instant you come back,'" Reno sniffed, disappointed. Elena collected what was hers, and went to suit up. They needed to head for dinner.


	22. Musings

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Don't you just love the anonymous phone conversations? I do...not...

Chapter 22: Musings

"They found the woman a lot faster then I thought they would," the man mused. "Well, the test is over. They're certainly good. And they have connections."

"That doesn't seem like a good thing,"

"We know not to underestimate them, and we know that they have high connections."

"What made you think it would be the Turks and not AVALANCHE that would come to her aid?" the woman demanded. The man laughed.

"No one from AVALANCHE comes to see her. I don't even think she would ask them," he explained. "The Turks are for hire. Besides, they'll have their uses soon enough. How are things going with you?"

"Great. The Emperor has no clue, the little lamb. What a stroke of luck that Godo is out of the picture. He always had such command over the Wutai court." The woman seemed to shudder in recollection. "I haven't found your fox yet, though."

"Well, keep looking. I'm sure you'll come across him soon enough."

"Are the sisters the only two your going to deal with?"

"No. There are several others. Some of the boys are getting bold enough now to challenge Shuya. They see the divisions between the Emperor and Empress and know that her confidante is Shuya. If we can get him out of the picture, your task will be much easier."

"Yes. Amen. What are you planning with the Turks?"

"Just watch and wait. It would spoil the surprise, now wouldn't it?" the man smirked.


	23. Friends and Foes

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

Chapter 23: Friends and Foes

Decked out with his sparkly new gadgets, Reno felt another degree of happiness layer on him. He couldn't argue with Yuffie's good taste in suits either, as she provided their wardrobe for the evening. Rude had said she was only booking them for a week, and that they would be expected to navigate the underworld after this stay. Rude had also explained that it was more for Elena to pull herself together and take a breather before going back in.

"Tennouji," Reno grinned, seeing his acquaintance surrounded by beautiful women. He hadn't been waiting long, because his magic tricks were just getting started. Smiling as brightly as the gleaming oil in his slicked hair, Tennouji stood.

"You're unusually punctual," he bowed, and Reno made a small effort to return the gesture. Rude and Elena's bows were much more polite. "Ah, that must be because Elena is once again with you. Charmed," his smile widened at Elena. She gave him a business smirk in return, amusement never touching her eyes. "Please, have a seat. Ladies, you'll have to excuse me. I have a great deal of catching up to do."

A chorus of complaints met him in dramatic waves. Tennouji smiled and appreciated it as Reno made himself comfortable on the plush pillows around a traditional table. Rude also sat with crossed legs, but Elena maintained Wutain custom and seated herself on her knees. When Tennouji had dispatched his adoring public, he sat as well.

"How has you stay in Wutai been?" He asked Elena.

"I've experienced Wutain life as only a woman can," she replied, her eyes flashing. What a difference from the woman who used to babble on. Her cool demeanor now tickled Reno. Kadaj's torture had done much to alter her. Although, off the clock, she still reverted back to the innocent she had been.

"What a pity I wasn't there to enjoy the experience," Tennouji said glibly. Elena only maintained her grin, allowing her eyes to roil.

"So Tennouji, I met up with Koga. He's a nice kid," Reno said, pulling out a cigarette. Tennouji did like wise and offered his lighter. "Loves his mamma."

"Unfortunate he's no longer with us," Tennouji nodded mournfully. Reno bobbed his head.

"Yeah, I heard about that. Those guys must have been maniacs." Amusement arched between them. They were too much alike not to appreciate each other. "But anyway, we got to talkin' and he was tellin' us a little about our Elle. Seems he had a thing for her, ain't that right Elle?"

"Too clean," she dismissed the boy.

"But his buddy was a real knockout," Reno smirked. A sizzling tray suddenly appeared before them. Tennouji smiled.

"Please, enjoy some of Wutai's finest. This place is neutral, after all," he invited them. Reno glanced at the waiter, and saw a tattoo in the web of skin between his thumb and forefinger. That was the proprietor's mark, he recognized. Those with that mark enforced the peace absolutely.

"You're payin', right?" Reno picked up his chopsticks, and took the first sizzling bite. Elena followed Reno's lead, once she was certain he wouldn't kick over.

"As I recall, that's always the way it goes," Tennouji replied, sighing like a jilted lover.

"Unless you've got a nice rack under that jacket and some killer hips, it's all you baby. Have your way with me, but I want the royal treatment," Reno answered, sifting through the appetizers for the tastiest morsel.

"You're revolting," Elena shot him a sidelong glance. Her chopsticks collected a precariously dangling fried tempura squid, and dropped it expertly into her mouth. Reno just smiled at her with his chopsticks half in his mouth.

"So this guy that came along with Koga to sweep Elena off her feet, we've been tryin' to find him and we just can't manage it," Reno dropped another piece of squid into some sauce, and pushed it around meditatively. He propped his head on one hand, gazing evenly at Tennouji. "You remember we talked about him over the phone a little while ago."

"I recall our conversation," Tennouji agreed. He carefully selected a piece of squid and thoughtfully circled it around Reno's saturated selection. With a fluid motion, he ingested it and chewed contemplatively. "The problem always lies in trying to find a shadow in the dark."

"That's why I make sure I've always got my lighter. Handy, that." Reno lifted the squid and dangled it over his mouth, before allowing it to tumble in. He relished the devouring of it as Tennouji watched him. "'Course, I really carry it 'cuz I'm a chain smoker. Can't get by without a cig for too long," Reno added as an afterthought. Tennouji shook his head.

"For a moment, I credited you with wisdom," he sighed.

"I like to call it luck," the red head twitched his shoulders in a lazy shrug. Tennouji laced his fingers together, and put his elbows on the table. He looked across the steaming appetizer at his longtime business partner, reading him. Reno stayed calm under the pressure, but felt like he was coming to another important juncture in his life.

"Reno, you know Wutai as many from the east do not. All three of you do," Tennouji said, his voice very soft. "Something is happening in our country. A yakuza family did not hire Sonji. We know better then to trust him." Reno put down his chopsticks, and fixed Tennouji with an uncharacteristically serious expression. Elena beside him shifted, glancing between them, as Rude's presence seemed to intensify. "I do not know who hired him, only that it was as much an example to the yakuza as a threat. Yakuza have always respected the Turks for their mercilessness, and by having one of you kidnapped it sent a powerful message. I don't mean any disrespect, Elena," he added. She shook her head.

"They want the entire nation on edge. In essence they shamed our 'family,' and they want to say they could do it to you too," Reno nodded.

"Precisely. The yakuza are…uneasy. This comes from someone in the nobility, probably in the royal family."

"Kisaragi blood," Reno looked at Rude. He nodded once.

"We're going to be investigating a few of them. Namely Asahi and Rikuo."

"They want you to keep out," Tennouji warned.

"A fine job they did of inviting us," Elena growled. Tennouji smiled.

"Obviously they weren't counting on your vindictive nature," he replied. "However, by stepping into the Kisaragi world, you will make yourself more vulnerable then anything you're familiar with."

"What do you know about the Kisaragis?" Rude again fired off a question. Tennouji opened his hands and sighed.

"For the most part, they present a unified front, held in check by our good Empress. Before Godo went mad, no one dared make a move. The Empress has been forced to reign them in tightly in his absence. There are various alliances and enemies within the family, of course, but so much of it remains hidden in the pagoda that I don't have a fair view. The Empress excels at leverage…she's the Queen of Wutai's black mail." Tennouji gave them a wry smile. "She's exemplary Yakuza material. She could dominate both worlds if it weren't for morals."

"Sounds like she has a pretty tight control of her country," Reno commented.

"Indeed, but even she has her blind spots. She's always counted on blood being able to overcome potentially life-threatening differences. She's too just with her kin, and they view it as weakness. Somebody has finally decided to cast the die. Someone who has been planning this a _very_ long time."

"Anyone in particular you think we should start with?"

"You're mad, Reno. Even if it was the Empress herself who hired you, you're mad. I would extricate yourself now, before it gets messy."

"Then we'd look like cowards. We'd lose whatever respectability we have left over here," Reno shook his head.

"How very…Wutain of you," Tennouji gave him a bitter smile. "You all feel the same as he?" he turned to Rude and Elena.

"Vendetta. I'm in at least as deep as Sonji."

"The job will get me sooner or later," Rude replied.

"Yeah right," Reno snorted. "They always miss because of the glare," he tapped his head. Rude gave him a blank stare, which Reno matched with a frozen smile.

"Cross Asahi off your list. He's in too deep with the yakuza to try and scare us off. We've already detained him. Rikuo, potentially, but my first move would be with Asa, the Fox. She's like the Empress, minus the shinobi skills and lacking in morals."

"Oh, I love talking to girls," Reno smiled. "They're the best to interrogate…never know what you'll get…"

"Watch this one. Her temper's not as easy to read as her sister's." Tennouji leaned back. "If you're going to put yourself in the middle of the war, the least I can do is provide a final feast." He nodded at the waiter.

"Oh good. Funeral food," Elena flashed a smile. "Dead people are always so generous."

"Can't take it with ya," Reno shrugged. He polished off the squid. "Have some faith, Elle. We've lived through hell before." He tossed her a wink, and Elena let a real, honest smile bloom on her face for the first time since they'd rescued her. She took the glass of wine Tennouji provided. Reno lifted his own, and the four toasted to a troubled future.


	24. Worthwhile

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Merry Christmas!

Chapter 24: Worthwhile

Mitsuru and Hokuto were as full of energy as ever. Yuffie was having a hard time keeping up with them after spending every night the past week spying and working over her own connections. She'd barely had sixteen hours of sleep in five days. She managed to keep to her study enough that only Shuya and a few of her most trusted servants saw her. For the afternoon ritual of training the children, she'd put on enough makeup to cover the deep bags beneath her eyes, and was invigorated by the youthful zest of enthusiastic children.

This morning, as she'd been crawling into her window, her children had thundered into the room, announcing that they had made her breakfast. Her maternal delight in seeing them allowed her to ignore a much-needed rest and accompany them into a nook of one snowy garden, where a table of snow had breakfast.

"You're both such good cooks!" Yuffie complimented. "You know, I didn't learn how to cook until I was twenty?"

"Uncle Shuya told us your food could walk," Hokuto wrinkled his nose. He was sitting on a small snow bench next to his brother as he buttered her toast. Mitsuru was struggling to perfect the art of pouring tea, which sloshed and melted gaps in the table. "Watch out!" Hokuto yipped. They both jumped from their seats and gathered fistfuls of snow to repair the damage. Yuffie laughed.

"Thank you," she said graciously, accepting her tea and toast. "Did I ever tell you about the time I made a stew that almost ate Cait Sith?" she asked, recalling one of her most putrid concoctions during Meteor.

"No way!" Mitsuru gasped, as they looked at her wide-eyed. She nodded.

"I just asked him to bring me the paprika and these dripping tentacles reached out as the soup screamed!" Yuffie mimicked a battle cry, jumping halfway up at her children. Both of them squealed and grabbed each others' hands. "Next thing I knew, it had Cait by the feet and was flinging him back and forth like…well, like a toy," she smiled, as the boys laughed. She thought of the cat doll Cait had given her, nestled in her pillows. She always slept with it.

"What happened?" Mitsuru squeaked.

"Well, I got up to take care of it myself, when it boomed 'you shall not eat me! I am the king of the sea!' What do you think I said to that?"

"You're an Empress! He has to do what you say!" Hokuto replied righteously.

"I laughed and said 'I'm the greatest Ninja in the world, and you're my dinner! I'm gonna stick a fork in ya 'cuz you're done!'" Yuffie brandished the butter knife in the air. Hokuto leaped across the table and tackled her.

"Rawr! I'm a soup squid!" he proclaimed, and she wrestled with him in the snow.

"Me too! I'm soup too!" Mitsuru hurried to join in. Yuffie cried out in mock distress as her children pinned her down.

"Quick! We have to bury her or she'll eat us!" Hokuto called, sitting on Yuffie's stomach.

"I hate paprika!" Mitsuru shook his head, beginning to heap snow on her. Very quickly, Yuffie was nothing but a head, bemoaning her fate.

"Alas! The great Ninja Yuffie has caused her own undoing! I am my own murderer! I created what I thought was a gourmet dinner, only to find that it was a monster. Now, I lay defeated. Oh cruel world…cruel, cruel world…" she coughed weakly, and pretended to slip away. Her children laughed, clapping, and she played dead a moment more.

"Mom?" Mitsuru leaned in.

"Hey, mom, you can wake up…" Hokuto poked her nose. She was careful not to flinch.

"We killed her!" Mitsuru wailed in distress. He grabbed his hair and began to pull on it. "You suffocated her, fatzo! It's because you sat on her! Then I buried her! We're murderers!"

"Shut up!" Hokuto argued, startled. He bounced on top of Yuffie. "Mom! Mom!"

"RAWR!" she burst out of her shallow grave and tackled both screaming boys, tickling them into submission.

"Mom! You're alive! I thought you were dead!"

"Mitsuru called me fat!"

"Only 'cuz I thought you killed her!"

Yuffie laughed. Yes, this made everything worthwhile.


	25. Hardly Enough Time

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **I have such mixed feelings about Godo... Merry Christmas!

Chapter 25: Hardly Enough Time

Godo shifted. The waves lapping gently against his boat had suddenly shifted. He looked up from the star resting at the end of his fishing line, glinting off the water in a soft glow. The wind was coming from the west now. That was no good.

"The people who've gone to the West are trying to say something," Godo said softly, turning his drawn visage towards Leviathan. The whiskered dragon turned his head to gaze at him, and nodded. He looked tired. Godo could feel something ominous.

"They haven't found the sun yet, have they?" he asked. Leviathan shook his head this time. "How much longer must we fish? What are we waiting for?"

"For you to remember," Leviathan's storm cloud voice rumbled. Godo's frown deepened. He touched his head, focusing. His mind strayed back to the peculiar girl on the walrus, and he recalled that she had stirred a strange feeling in him. This was not to mention the fact that when he had pulled her into the boat, she had been bound in chafing ropes, with a heavy weight burdening her small tail. It had been perplexing. She reminded him of someone. As he delved deeper into this, searing light flooded burned his eyes and lanced through his spine. He winced and shied away.

"There isn't much time left. You'd better hurry," Leviathan warned him, before coiling himself loosely and rested his head. He gazed across the ocean, and breathed a tired sigh. His beard was getting fully, and there were deeper bags beneath his eyes. He was beginning to look as old as Godo. Reaching a gnarled hand out, he laid it lightly on Leviathan's muzzle.

"How did it ever get to be this way?" he sighed, and shook his head. Leviathan rumbled softly. Neither of them would hold up at all if this kept up. The wind shivered across the water, and Godo looked into it.

"It's so strange that Da Chao would call back to me," Godo said absently. "We broke off on uncomfortable terms. I wonder what that girl had to say? I didn't give her much of an opportunity to speak."

"What was it she said?" Leviathan mumbled.

"She was asking about the heir," Godo scratched the stubble on his chin. He squinted, and saw in the distance Da Chao's kingdom. He glanced the other way, and saw the watery rays of sunlight. His eyes flashed around, hunting for the harpies. It looked like they still hadn't found the sun yet.


	26. Unbearable Treachery

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** Very sad chapter...but Merry Christmas!

Chapter 26: Unbearable Treachery

Shuya glanced darkly over his shoulder. He had long ago realized the perils he faced as Yuffie's confidante, and had always been ready for them. The trouble was, lately, he wasn't sure which direction they would be coming from.

Shaking off the sense of paranoia, he walked a bit faster towards his own home. Everything looked ordinary enough, but an ominous foreboding was tingling in his bones. It was quiet outside, with heavy clouds fleecing the sky and allowing only glimpses of the moon. His feet were pounding on the frozen snow, thundering in his own ears.

Throwing open his own front doors, there weren't the sounds of his servants, or the movements of his family. Terrified suddenly, he ripped through the house as a silent wind, searching every room.

The house blurred by, until finally he reached his own bedroom. The sliding screen door crumbled like so many toothpicks as he tore it open, wakizashi already unsheathed and gleaming dangerously.

Alone in the dark, his wife sat with her head bowed over, sobbing softly. Her dark hair fell in sheets around her, and something lay crumpled in her lap. Shuya's heart stopped. Everything was silent, and he narrowed his vision to the child's hand splayed on the tatami mats.

"Miho…" he rasped, and she looked back at him. Her wet face shone like silver in the moonlight, her eyes wide and black. Gagged, hands bound behind her, she had still managed to cradle their youngest child in her blood soaked lap. Shuya dropped to his knees, feeling the world shatter around him. A screech tore out of his throat, rending his vocal chords in agony. Hot tears spilled down his cheeks as he crawled with one arm towards his wife and child.

"Aiko," he wept, touching his still daughter's face. Her chest was torn wide open by a sword wound, congealing blood sticky on his wife's kimono and staining the floors around them. Cold skin met Shuya's fingertips, unyielding and still. He bowed his head, allowing sobs to shake him only briefly, before tearing the gag from his wife's mouth and pulling her fiercely to him. "Miho, what happened," he whispered hoarsely.

"Shuya…oh Shuya," she sobbed against him. He was breathing hard, trying to suck air in to fill the wrenching void in his breast. With his shaky hand, he worked the knots around his fingers until she was loose. Her hands tilled his back in emotional agony. "They've taken them all…little Aiko…I tried to stop them! I tried!"

"Shhh! I know you did!" Shuya nodded, stroking her head. He kissed her hair, and pulled her chin up so he could kiss her fiercely. "Shh!"

"My Aiko!!! My Aiko!!!" she cried out. "They took my baby!"

"They'll pay! I swear by Leviathan!" he hissed, his voice cracking. "What happened, Miho?"

"They said they would hold the children until…until…" Miho's voice hitched, and she pressed her face further into the cradle of Shuya's shoulder.

"Until what?"

"Until Yuffie either resigned or was removed from the throne," Miho whispered. Shuya's arm tightened around her crushingly, as a roar of rage echoed throughout their lifeless home. "They took all the servants…slaughtered them like cattle in the stables…they made the children watch…Shogo, he tried to fight back…oh Shuya! They took his eyes! My beautiful boy! They took his eyes!" Miho shrieked into him.

"Who are they? Tell me who they are!" Shuya screamed.

"Taromaru…they were Taromaru's men…" Miho shuddered. Livid, Shuya snarled at his ceiling and willed the world to burn. Taromaru was two years younger then Yuffie, and by far the cruelest of their relations. He dwelled far to the south.

"Miho…" Shuya said, his voice rasping. "I'm going to tell Yuffie now…I want you to call the staff in Junon…tell them to ready the house for your arrival,"

"I can't leave! Shuya!"

"Do it, Miho. I'm going to war now. I will bring our children back,"

"Don't! Please, don't put both yourself and them at risk!" Miho clawed at him, and he shook her roughly.

"Look at me! Miho!" he waited until they had locked eyes. "He cannot be allowed to win…do as I say. Listen to me, Miho…" She quieted after a moment, and wrapped her arms around their child, hugging the remnants of their daughter. Her frame shook. Shuya kissed the back of her neck. She leaned into him as he withdrew his phone, and pressed the speed dial button for his precious younger sister.

"Yuffie," his voice cracked.

"Shuya!" she gasped in dismay.

"Taromaru…he…" Shuya choked up. A spasm ran through his wife. "He has laid siege on my house…slaughtered my servants, blinded my son Shogo, and executed my youngest…my Aiko…" he began sobbing, tears burning in his throat as snot slithered down his face.

"No…" Yuffie breathed painfully. "No…!"

"I am under orders not to have contact with you, or my other children will be slain," he wept.

"No!" Tears were in his sister's voice now too. "No, no, no!" Her voice rose in crescendo. "He'll pay for this! I swear to Da Chao! Taromaru will pay!" Shuya heard the thump and crack of wood. "Where are you now?"

"I'm at home…"

"Get out of here. You are not to call me, not until you have your children safely back with you, do you understand me? I'll send my elites direct to protect Jozen."

"But Yuffie…what about you?"

"Don't worry about me! God damn it! This is your family we're talking about! Forget me!" Yuffie roared. "I'll be fine. Where is Miho? Is Miho alright?"

"She's here."

"Get away, Shuya. I will deal myself with Taromaru. Where the fuck is that husband of mine? And where the fuck are my children?"

"Has Nayuta contacted you?" Shuya asked suddenly, feeling his gut clench.

"No. Now get off the phone with me. You have a wife to take care of. Do it! Your children come first, before me, and before this throne!"

"Yuffie! Yuffie! Wait!" Shuya pleaded. She refrained from hanging up. "I love you little sister. Please, be careful,"

"I love you too. Now defend what is yours," she commanded, and hung up. Shuya collapsed with his wife again, the grief unbearable.


	27. Perfect Opportunity

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** Now is when you're supposed to start hating people. Merry Christmas!

Chapter 27: Perfect Opportunity

Doujima sat in shock. She had been dumbfounded, but too distracted by ushering her children about to really feel anything. Now, as she hurriedly threw things in trunks, it was beginning to hit her. One of the Kisaragi had moved against their own. Civil war was about to erupt.

There was a knock at the door, and it opened before Doujima could protest. She was surprised when she saw Yuffie, dressed in something similar to that of the palace guard. The Empress came in, her eyes determined and jaw set. While similar to the look she used when dealing with Kale, this one had a despairing edge Doujima had never seen before.

"Doujima," Yuffie said, stopping and looking around the room. She glanced at the trunks. There was so much surging beneath Yuffie's skin that she didn't know what to say, so an unusual silence fell between them. The Empress and consort had never had much to say ever before, but Doujima felt some sympathy for her lover's wife now.

"I saw the statement Taromaru made this morning…" Doujima decided to break the ice. Yuffie glanced up at her, and nodded. She strode over to a mess of clothing Doujima had been hurriedly folding and stuffing into trunks. Bending, Yuffie began to help her. "He's really declaring war on you, isn't he?"

"Seems so," she confirmed.

"I'm so sorry about Shuya…I can't imagine…"

"Neither can I…" Yuffie's knuckles went white around a small kimono. Her eyes were dark and intense, the muscles in her temples jumping out. In a moment, when her rage was back in tow, she looked at Doujima. "Don't come back. Not until the war's done with, I mean. It's too dangerous." After weighing Yuffie's words, Doujima sighed.

"I feel my place is with Kale," she replied.

"If you didn't have children, yes. But right now, you need to worry about them," Yuffie shook her head. "They'll need you, Doujima. Suzuka isn't even a full year old. She can't be without her mom." Doujima frowned. She had argued herself in circles over this very thing, finally resolving that she wanted to stay with her lover. "I'm not saying this as a jealous wife. I'm saying this as another mother…"

"What are you going to do with Hokuto and Mitsuru?" Doujima asked.

"I'm sending them with your children, if it's alright?" Yuffie gazed at Doujima with an expression akin to begging. The courtesan's heart skipped in her chest. Had Yuffie Kisaragi really just said that? "Please…I know that we're not friends, but you're the only person I could think of to even trust my children with…you're the only one who understands just how precious they are to me…"

It was odd at first, but as Doujima thought about it, she supposed Yuffie was right. Nobody really knew the extent of Kale and Yuffie's differences and isolation better then she did. In a strange way, Doujima had always pitied the Empress. Her husband would have nothing to do with her and she intimidated most men in court who would be potentially interested in her. All she had in life were her boys, treasured gems she crafted and pushed and fought herself not to spoil beyond reconciliation.

"You can teach them etiquette and lessons, and they won't be worse off for having other children to interact with. Please, Doujima? I can't leave my country…as Empress, I can't leave…"

Doujima was silent for a long time. They folded her children's clothes together, Doujima carefully guarding her expressions. At length, she sighed, and gave Yuffie a weary nod. The Empress seemed to brighten a little, and leaned in to touch foreheads with Doujima.

"This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship," she teased. Doujima trilled laughter, and gave Yuffie's shoulder a squeeze. In a moment, the Empress had excused herself, and the courtesan was left to her own thoughts. Her smile twisted upwards, past amusement and laughter, into wicked delight.

She finished her packing, and had the servants carry the trunks down, as she rounded up her own children. Kale was waiting with them in his own office, smiling as they hung all over him. He really was spectacular with their children. A vicious delight filled her that she had managed to keep him so perfectly apart from Yuffie's children. Yuffie's naturally possessive nature of them and the anger the Empress had over Kale's skipping out on their wedding night made it simple.

"Ah, Doujima. What'll I do without them?" Kale sighed, smiling up at her. He had such a breath-taking smile, his eyes twinkling gently at her. She bent and kissed his forehead, running her fingertips lightly along his jaw.

"It won't be too long," she promised. Kale smiled.

"Shouldn't I be saying that to you?" he asked. She shrugged her shoulders. "Will you be alright with Yuffie's children?" a small frown formed between his eyebrows.

"I'll be fine. They're usually very well behaved," she reassured him, her mind already wandering over the incredible power she had been given over the foolish Empress. "Besides, they're half yours. How could they be so bad?"

"Well, Yuffie is the beginning and end of their universe. I'm not sure how they'll react to her absence," Kale shrugged his shoulders, adjusting their daughter Kyoko in his lap. Doujima trilled laughter.

"We'd better load up. End this war quickly!" she encouraged. Kale stood, balancing Kyoko on his hip, and leaned in for a kiss. Doujima's heart fluttered, and she remembered again forcefully why she meant the Empress harm. Kale was _hers_, and she wasn't going to share. The throne would be an added benefit.

Taromaru had served his purposes well, she reflected when they pulled back. Kale helped her load the children. Yuffie was already there, holding her children tightly. It looked like there were tears in her eyes. She leaned back on her heels, looking into each of her sons' upset faces.

"It's only a little while," she crooned lovingly. "You'll be alright."

"When can we come back?" one asked.

"Soon,"

"Don't you want us?" the other sobbed, scrubbing his eyes.

"Of course I want you! I have to send you away to keep you safe!"

For a moment, Doujima's resolve faltered as she watched mother and children together. A frown creased between Doujima's eyebrows. Yuffie reassured them, fighting to keep from breaking down before them. She was a strong woman.

Kale bent to bid his other children goodbye. He placed a hand soothingly around Yuffie's shoulders, and rather then maintain the cold wall between them, Yuffie leaned into his touch. Seeing them together, sitting like a family, stabbed at Doujima's heart. Any pity for Yuffie died, instantly. She carefully examined Kale, and saw a detached, fatherly affection for his heirs. So long as Kale never found out it was Doujima who did it, things would be alright. The children were expendable, a means to an end, so that her children could have the throne and lead Wutai. And Doujima's reward would be Kale. As Emperor, Kale could make it so that their children were the rightful heirs.

What it really boiled down to, Doujima surmised as Kale with Yuffie and bid them farewell, was that Doujima wanted no part of Kale shared. She would tear any holds off of him, until he was hers alone. It was all or nothing, and nothing was not an option. For years, Doujima had been clawing her way to the top to have him, and she would relinquish no piece, no matter how insubstantial or far removed. He was hers, and Yuffie would find that out.

Hokuto and Mitsuru sat in dazed silence, clasping hands, gazing out the window. Their knuckles were white, bodies absolutely still. They could have been statues. Doujima focused on their thin, wiry frames and delicate features, and saw only Yuffie. She erased the pieces that were Kale in them. Withdrawing her phone, she entered a number, and listened to the rings.

"Yes?" asked a man.

"I'm on my way out of the city," she said amiably, keeping her tone light. "I have a couple of surprise guests with me. You'd be happy to meet them."

"Oh?"

"Yes," she nodded. "In fact, I insist." Her voice was soft, so that the driver didn't realize she was on the phone and her loud children drowned her out.

"How exciting. We'll have to make it look real, or you'll be a suspect. I'll drop by after a day or two," the man smiled cheerfully, and hung up.

"So, Hokuto, Mitsuru. This is your first time away from your mom, huh?" Doujima crooned. They looked at her with glassy eyes, and then turned back out the window. Yes, they were certainly Yuffie's children. That was her arrogance and ice in their expressions. No, Doujima would have no regrets.


	28. A Turkey Dinner

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Again, the Turks are some of my favorites ever! Merry Christmas!

Chapter 28: A Turkey Dinner

Yuffie stared vacantly at the ice dangling outside the restaurant, buried deep in the guts of her city. She hadn't wasted any time in contacting the Turks. They were set to meet up with her here, beneath the red and green neon lights, where it smelled like too many animals and humans, mingled with spices and perfume. She was dressed common, her hair braided over one shoulder, seated in a dark back corner. A neon sign over the bar was the only real illumination, while the noisy din of booze and a game filled the background.

The Turks came in suddenly, stomping the snow off their feet and casting a look around the room for her. Reno's hair was peppered with white snowflakes, as Elena removed the hood of her jacket and adjusted her scarf. Rude spotted her first and began to make his way towards her. Elena followed, pulling on Reno's arm. He gestured at the bar, before bellying up and ordering something.

"Ma'am," Rude held out a gloved hand as Yuffie stood, taking it and shaking. Hopefully in the dark he couldn't see how tired and upset she was.

"I'm glad you're alright," Yuffie said to Elena, giving her an extra squeeze. "Maybe if you weren't so damn pretty, you wouldn't get so much trouble," she teased. Elena smiled at her, her ageless face seeming to show no signs of her recent abductions.

"It's a curse," she sighed mockingly. "How's the food look?"

"I like this place. It's got a lot more Midgar food then you'd think," Yuffie nodded, sliding menus to them as they sat down. Elena was unwrapping her scarf and climbing out of her coat. In her fitted suit, she looked keen and competent. She'd really come into her own as a Turk.

"Trust me, I'm ready for something other then fish," Elena nodded. "No offense,"

"I still miss a good burger and fries," Yuffie smiled.

"Drinks all around!" Reno deposited heavy mugs of beer on the table. "It's even my treat," he added. Yuffie didn't blink and accepted it, taking a deep drink and savoring the bitterness of it. She let it slip down her throat and settle in the pit of her stomach.

"Last time I had to foot the bill," she smiled at him wryly.

"Last time you were a kid," he shrugged. Yuffie stuck out her tongue, rather then show him how delighted she was to hear that he thought of her as an adult. A bit of red tinged her ears and cheeks, and she hoped the bar light was enough to obscure it. She took a long draft, and set the mug down.

"So, here's where we're at," Yuffie sighed softly. She pulled on her game face, looking at each member of the Turks in turn. "Taromaru is ready to start a civil war to dethrone me. The problem is, he hasn't named an heir. The way he speaks and my own sources indicate that he has someone in mind, but it's not him,"

"So he's being manipulated by someone else," Elena nodded.

"Someone very well hidden. By our law, he is ineligible to take the throne, as are any of my other siblings. However, my father was not without his share of siblings, a few of them legitimate. My manner of handling him hasn't been…gentle, shall we say? But I've always been just. Someone must have promised him a great deal more power then I allot, and a share in the military forces. He's too bloodthirsty to really want power, only glory on the battlefield." Yuffie blew out a breath. "Trouble is, I don't know what part of the family he would be backing. Six other siblings have agreed to side with Taromaru. The rest are either loyal, or too frightened to go against me. Military strategy isn't why I called you here though…" she took another drink.

"You can't just off him, can you?" Reno frowned, and Yuffie shook her head with a grim smile.

"His fate is to die, and I think my siblings are counting on me to just off him, so that they can divvy up his land. They're on his side as much to kill him as to get me out of power…I was shortsighted and blind in my trust. Now I'm starting to see all the ugly things I made an effort not to notice."

"I assume you called us here to use us?" Elena asked. Yuffie shook her head.

"No, I'm here to tell you you're free to go. I need all the help I can get, but I can't depend on Shinra, and I can't expect you to stay out of the goodness of your hearts." She laughed at their shocked faces. "Come on, think about it. My remaining siblings would jump sides if I sent the _Turks_ of all assassins after anybody in the family. Yakuza, whatever, but not blood. Not only my family, but the people of Wutai would be uneasy if we turned to Shinra for any help,"

"It would make you look weak," Rude supplied for his shocked counterparts.

"Now that you've confirmed Sonji is working within my family, I have to ask you to drop out. You'll be paid in full for your services, but it would be better for you to leave now, while the going is good." Yuffie circled the rim of her beer mug with one finger, watching the light play off the amber liquid. Strange patterns were thrown on the worn table they sat at.

"What are you going to do?" Elena asked.

"Do what I always do. Ditch out on being an Empress and be a ninja," she gave them a wide smile, looking up at them. "My husband can handle the general stuff, and I'll bring him information and…do the executions." Her voice hitched, and a part of her shuddered and recoiled at killing her own kin. But Taromaru would pay. Her knuckles turned white around the handle of her mug. She couldn't believe how blind she was and how bloodthirsty they were.

"The way I see it, I'm already in deep shit," Reno smiled, taking out a cigarette. Yuffie watched the lighter flash to life in his hands, and followed the flame to the tip of his cigarette. His Mako eyes reflected the red embers as he drew in a few puffs. "I already seduced your sister Asa and asked her a few questions."

"You did what?" Yuffie's voice grated in her throat, her eyes turning cold. She glared across the table at him. He nodded.

"Pretty girl, that one."

"When did you do that?" Elena snarled.

"I was out with an old friend of mine paintin' the town red and just happened to bumble into her," Reno answered.

"Christ, I can't let you out of my sight for a minute!" Elena moaned, covering her eyes.

"What happened?" Yuffie demanded sharply. Reno drew a long breath, thinking over his reply.

"Bought her dinner. Couldn't pass myself off as anything other then a Turk 'cuz she knew what I looked like." His smile twitched. "We got to talkin' about Wutai, and thanks to a little quick fix in her drink, she spilled the beans about a few family members. It ain't anyone in your extended family you have to worry about. She didn't know who, but she knows someone has a trump up their sleeve. Something that will put _you_ out of commission without a hitch." Reno ashed his cigarette, and lifted it back up to his lips.

"Guess you'd better tail it outta here. The Fox has as many ugly tricks as the Turks. She has a taste for blood too," Yuffie massaged her temples.

"No can do. I hired myself on, after she realized she'd let it slip. Good price, too." Reno seemed to be tallying the money up mentally. "Yeah…it's a good deal," he snickered. "You two are free to go, but I'm stayin'," he nodded at Rude and Elena. Rude was almost openly agog. Yuffie looked between the Turks. Reno was smug, Rude about to actually express something, and Elena sat slack jawed. She couldn't help it. Yuffie burst into laughter.

Hardy belly laughs burbled up and out of her, and she threw her head back to better enjoy it. The exhaustion of the past few days vanished, the heavy stress hanging on her shoulders and the burden of the future fell away just for a moment. She pounded on the table, and finally slumped forward, giggling uncontrollably. Tears swelled in her eyes.

"Take it easy. Jeeze, you weren't such a lightweight last time," Reno leaned over and pounded on her shoulder like they were old comrades.

"You totally just broke her mind. Look at the poor thing!" Elena instantly turned on Reno, sounding alarmed.

"Do you have any idea what you've just done?" Yuffie looked up at Reno, grinding tears out of her eyes. He still had a hand on her shoulder, and he smiled.

"Wutai will love that the Shinra are in on usurping the throne," he replied, leaning back and taking a long drag. He looked Yuffie up and down critically. "I'm supposed to be a spy, since the family knows you've had some contact with me." Reno added.

Relief swelled in Yuffie, and she grasped this faint thread of hope. She was feeling vulnerable after losing Shuya, and while she felt she couldn't ask AVALANCHE for help, Reno of the Turks was about twice as comforting by agreeing to help without being asked. She smiled at him.

"What am I supposed to do with you? How do you plan to spy on me?"

"Leave that part to me."

"And why should I trust you?"

"My allegiance in non-Shinra backed deals are always with the prettier girl," he blew a smoke ring, as Yuffie's whole face dyed itself scarlet.

"Like she's going to fall for that!" Elena punched Reno harshly in the arm. "You're a shameless womanizer! Everyone knows it!" She launched into a lecture Yuffie lost track of, as she hid behind her mug for a drink. She was sure her blush was visible in spite of the red light illuminating her. Reno's eyes crinkled over his own beer as he watched her.

"Watch out, Elle. Tseng might wise up to our marriage," Reno turned back to Elena after savoring Yuffie's expression.

"Why do I waste my time? You'll never learn!" Elena moaned, holding her head and shaking it in despair. "You can't just go around flattering women! That's not the way we work!"

"It's never failed me before…" Reno looked like he was thinking this over very hard. "I think you're worrying too much, Elle. Besides, I've scored zillions of women, and you…well, let's not even go into how pitiful your girl count is."

"What would I want with _women_?" Elena demanded, taking him seriously. Rude shook his head, already seeing where this was going.

"What every man wants!" Reno snorted something very close to a 'duh' after this statement.

"Take it back, or so help me!" Elena snarled, cocking her fist back.

"Why do you always act like such a girl all the time?" Reno rolled his eyes.

"Because I _am_ a girl!"

"The Turks is for men and dogs. Which are you?" the red head jibed. Murder was on Elena's face, and Yuffie laughed again.

"Reno will more then likely be working through the yakuza. The royal family won't want him publicly associated with them." Rude caught Yuffie's attention as he stood up and traded chairs with Elena.

"That makes you gay if I'm acting like your wife!" Elena squawked, trying to come up with something witty.

"I take all comers, honey," Reno let it roll past him. Yuffie tried to push them into the background of her thoughts.

"He has enough associations there to effectively lose himself. From what we understand, most of the Yakuza are apt to side with your enemies. They're offering better business opportunities and they hired Sonji to show off their muscles to the crime families. It's all very well orchestrated."

"How will Reno working with them fly?"

"Part of the bargain probably had something to do with a generous share for the Shinra. Later backstabbing applies, of course, but you're the strongest buffer against the Shinra having anything to do in Wutai. Of course we'd want you gone. You haven't exactly been friendly to President Rufus. His feelings are hurt." A smile appeared on Rude's face. It was more of a smirk, but it was the most Yuffie had ever seen from him. She smiled back, amused.

"True enough," she nodded. "You two will fit in how?"

"Hire one of us, you hire all of us," Rude replied. "For all of his appearances, Reno does his job well. We're in the contract."

"Easy, baby. I thought we already went over fidelity," Reno was pouting. "That's what we have a pre-nup for."

"If I ever even considered marrying chauvinistic scum like you, the pre-nup would consist of everything you owned and three quarters of every pay check."

"Good thing Tseng gets paid an arm and a leg," Reno whistled. Yuffie didn't say as much, but her whole frame relaxed. _Somebody_ was here for her. She leaned back in her chair and took an easy drink, relishing the bickering Reno and Elena, and sharing Rude's underlying amusement.

"Do you think his offer for dinner still stands?" Yuffie turned to Rude. She had never credited him for much of a personality before, but she was beginning to see the underlying traits that explained him.

"You're still the prettiest lady at the table," Rude answered, and Yuffie smiled. He leaned towards her. "Now, if Reno notices the way that bartender is looking at him, we might have to fend for ourselves. He's always been a sucker for immediate gratification," he added conspiratorially.

"Speaking of infidelity…" Reno stood, as if on cue. He took two steps towards the bar.

"What about dinner?" Elena yowled, and Reno looked back at her.

"I'm putting myself in considerable peril. I'd better enjoy the earthly pleasures while they last." He winked at them and spun around to continue his sojourn.

"Hm, at least I got a free drink," Yuffie shrugged.

"No drink is a free drink," Elena growled darkly.

"I suppose I'm gentleman by default," Rude straightened his tie. "So, what's good?"


	29. Friendly Speculation

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Ah, the Turks...

Chapter 29: Friendly Speculation

Rude clinked glasses with Elena as they appreciated the general hubbub of the bar. They threw back drinks like sailors. Elena had surprised Rude after she'd first come and been such a lightweight. He supposed Reno's taunting was good for something at long last. Yuffie's mug met theirs on the next round, as the Empress of Wutai shared in their delight. She was rosy cheeked and just as giggly as Elena. They were sharing secrets together like old friends.

Reno was enjoying his time at the bar overmuch, but Rude didn't miss the glances he shot back at their table. From this distance and bleary eyed, Rude could only guess they were at the pretty Empress. It hadn't surprised him. Since they'd come, Reno had had a peculiar interest in the young woman. Really, it had begun the night they'd shared drinks after the Kadaj incident, and Rude had never contested it. Honestly, Yuffie had been a decent influence on his derelict partner. Those years ago, she had provided something of a more wholesome interaction between male and female for Reno, who was accustomed to the sleep and run tactics that had pervaded his life. Yuffie provided the purity of youth and projected a certain shyness and modesty in sexuality that had charmed Rude's promiscuous partner as long ago as their first real interaction in Wutai, after the Don Corneo encounter.

Elena seemed to notice Reno's undue attention to the obliviously celebratory Empress as well. She gave Rude a pointed look, glancing between Yuffie and Reno. For Yuffie's part, she seemed oblivious, and happy to indulge in Elena's lively companionship.

Rude had done his research into Yuffie's life. He knew her marriage was unhappy and a solitary affair on her part. Since giving birth to her sons, the Emperor had showed no interest in her, and Rude had even heard he'd ignored her on their wedding night. Yuffie had apparently been living down this shame ever since, but bore it with an amused and ironic twist. Her smile was as infectious as it was chaste and miserable. She was not one to fool around, and worse yet, her friends from AVALANCHE had all but let her fall into the backdrop of their own happy lives. Yuffie led a life of quiet desperation. It was no wonder she had delighted so much in any attention given to her by the Turks.

Rude's discussions with the Empress had been interesting. She harbored much of her old personae, though it was added to by her experience and age as Empress. Her banter was engaging and her smile infectious, and the adolescent immaturity had faded away to be replaced by simple mischief. She'd laughed heartily at being called Rude's sugar mamma and had gleefully written warnings to Reno the flirt. Her attachment to former enemies stemmed largely from being forgotten as much as from becoming solely an item of state. Rude had to admit to himself that he enjoyed Yuffie's company as thoroughly as he had ever enjoyed any other young woman's, perhaps more so because he remembered both having his face wiped across the ground and doing likewise to her.

Elena and Yuffie were discussing Don Corneo in mirthful delight at their old follies and childishness when Reno plopped back down in a chair and joined in.

"You really should have been flattered a dude like him was interested. You were what, about twelve twigs in diameter?" Reno interjected, smiling at Yuffie.

"And thirteen times the woman he could handle," she scoffed. Her head inclined with hilarious dignity, and even Rude had to work to keep from laughing.

"Come on, the guy was a connoisseur in beauty…then again…he did pick Elena too, didn't he?" Reno looked to his partner for confirmation.

"Okay, if he picked me and I was twelve toothpicks, you'll never believe this!" Yuffie diverted Elena's rage. "Cloud had to dress up as a _girl_ to get into the mansion," she explained as Reno turned to her with his attention pricked. She fished into her pocket for a wallet. "Teef gave me this picture, and you have to swear to Da Chao you'll never mention it. So he dresses up like a girl, and Corneo _picks him_ over _Teef and Aeris!!!_" she provided the picture and immediately Reno and Elena were reeling backwards with eruptive giggles to match that of their fellow bar-goers. Yuffie handed the picture of a blushing Cloud to Rude, who about spit up his beer in amusement.

"Hey-la there folks!" shouted a jovial Midgar voice as the occupants of their table fell against said furniture in laughter. Yuffie was pounding the table, trying to keep from spilling her beer, as Reno reached for it and downed the rest. "You're just lucky enough to come in on Salsa Night here at the Ex-Pat!" cheered the slurred voice over a loudspeaker.

"What the hell?" Yuffie wrinkled her nose as she lifted her head from the table.

"An Age Old tradition since the Shinra enforced their rule! Salsa Night is here for all those Ex-Pats who hate their homes but miss the dancing! Everybody who's anybody, on the dance floor!"

"Do you remember this shit from when we were kids?" Reno looked at Rude with murderous delight on his face. Yes, Rude remembered too well to really desire the welling of scenarios. He shook his head as Reno leaped up.

"What shitty music is this?" Yuffie demanded, making a face. Reno just laughed at her and yanked her up.

"Come on, you brat of epically spoiled proportions," he smirked, dragging her curious and excited form into the midst of a crowd.

"What's sick is I used to come here too," Elena shook her head. Rude almost laughed.

"Reno really became a ladies man here," he replied. "This was the first place the women used to fight over him."

"I don't even think I could imagine a gawky Reno," she replied. Rude's attention turned to the dance floor. He had not missed the wicked delight in his partner's eyes when he'd kidnapped the Empress and spirited her away. Reno had been anticipating this hour as much as he'd ever anticipated touching any woman before. It was almost ridiculous how delighted the man was to share a somewhat private moment with Yuffie. "So, you noticed Reno tonight?" Elena asked, forgetting to be nonchalant and feminine. Rude shrugged.

"Boys will be boys," he answered.

"No good can come of it," Elena warned. Rude glanced at the crowded dance floor. Reno didn't even really know how to dance Salsa. It had all been about disco when they were kids. He didn't catch a flash of red hair or spot Yuffie's small figure.

"So?" Rude prompted.

"Really, it's gonna mess both of them up," Elena said irritably.

"How do you figure?"

"Come on, Rude! She's an Empress and he's a hit man. Cinderella didn't have shit on this whacked pair. Why even let them flirt?" she sighed. Rude shrugged his shoulders. He saw Reno and Yuffie focusing entirely too hard on an older couple trying to show them the popular ballroom dance. Yuffie was mincing Reno's feet while he seemed to be confusing his lefts and rights.

"I don't really see the problem. That's their tango," he answered. Elena rolled her eyes.

"All I'm saying is that it's meaningless heartache. I mean, come on. What's Reno doing? He knows better! Yuffie's a job!"

"I think you're not seeing the whole picture here," Rude answered. She gave him a skeptical look, asking with mock sincerity for enlightenment. "Reno's a slums kid. He grew up with nothing, so he overdosed on everything when he got it. He's never had anyone who really needed him. Yuffie does," Rude shrugged.

"That sounds so pitiful."

"You're what, thirty two?" Rude asked.

"About that."

"Reno's thirty seven and never had a lasting relationship. The women he's been with have been using him as much as he uses them. In this line of work, thirty-seven is getting up there. I think having someone really _need_ him is a good thing."

"I don't think we're on the same page. The only thing women _need_ from Reno is a good fling."

"That's my point. Reno's never had anyone need him as emotional support. It's always been physical. Yuffie's young enough and she's had a set of circumstances that make her needs fit in perfect symbiosis with his," Rude explained. He glanced at the dance floor again and this time saw Yuffie and Reno laughing and trying to mimic the dance moves. Yuffie's hips were trying too hard and Reno was obviously pointing this out, assuming the distinct red glow on her cheeks wasn't just the lighting from the bar. Elena frowned faintly, watching them as well.

"So you think it's a need based thing for both of them?" Elena asked. Rude nodded, watching Reno pull Yuffie unnecessarily closer and Yuffie settle into a happy shuffle. "I keep short changing the guy. But I mean, what'll happen when it's over?"

"I don't know. That's the beauty of it. Reno doesn't know when it'll be over, when it'll go further, or how far it'll get. He's really in suspense for the first time in his life, while Yuffie just looks thrilled to be desired," Rude pontificated. He watched Yuffie snuggle deeper into Reno's chest, as a contented smile worked its way across the red head's face.

"Why'd he have to go and pick an Empress?"

"She was inaccessible enough to remind him he can't have everything," Rude shrugged. "And he's stupid enough to go for it, which makes her feel like a real woman in who knows how long. That idiot of a husband she's got ensures her existence is lonely."

Rude saw Reno's brows knit together and watched Yuffie's fingers curl over his jacket. Reno pulled her off the dance floor and propped himself against a wall as Yuffie pressed into him harder. Rude looked away, so as not to intrude on their stolen moment, a fold in time when they were allowed to exist in a space only they could at that exact instant of anomaly. Rude didn't turn away fast enough to miss the look of real tenderness on Reno's face, or the uncharacteristically vulnerable smile on Yuffie's face as she looked up and apologized for her weakness. Whatever else transpired, he left them to it.

"You really think they'll be okay?" Elena asked, sounding like she was making an effort in letting go. She'd adopted the strange habit of mothering Reno since she'd first started.

"They know their situations better then we do. I say let Reno have a shot at getting in deep with a woman. It's probably what both of them need."

"I guess after pining for a Vampire, loving someone she could touch would be good for Yuffie too," Elena smiled distantly. Rude lifted his eyebrows. He found himself having short sold Elena this time, not giving her credit for observing the painfully one sided affection on Yuffie's part in her younger years. He smiled back at her.

"You're all grown up, Elle," he used her pet name. She smiled.

"I do pick up a few things here and there," Elena replied, holding up her mug. "To a potentially long lasting relationship,"

"To an illegal romance," Rude agreed.

"Speaking of romance, how's that pretty rich girl eyeing you up and down while Rufus was flirting with her?"

"I try not to think about the things Rufus promised if she chose me," Rude answered, grimacing.

"Hey now, we unfairly dissected Reno's love life. What the hell is up with yours?"

"Nothing."

"Well, there has to be something. I mean, come on. A guy that wears his sunglasses at night? There has to be a chick out there who digs it," Elena smirked callously.

"Obviously, my answer is the bar tender."

"Tut, only if you buy me another beer."

"Consider your silence effectively bought," Rude stood and pranced to the bar. He spied Reno and Yuffie leaning against each other in a booth, each sound asleep. It made him smile, and he wished he had a camera. As if summoned, Elena appeared at the table with her phone and snapped a shot. She winked at him mischievously, and went back to their table, awaiting her drink. Rude provided, and left the fetching of Yuffie and Reno until the wee hours of the morning. In the mean time, he and Elena broke out a pack of cards and proceeded to scam the entire bar out of a great deal of money and alcohol.


	30. Past and Present

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

Chapter 30: Past and Present

"_Did you know that the first two letters of your first and last name spell 'viva?' VIVA LA VAMPIRE!!!"_ Yuffie's words hit Vincent so hard he almost wheezed. He didn't know why those words were swirling around in his head.

"_Yeah?"_ Vincent had responded.

"_Mine's yuki. That means snow in Wutain. Maybe I'll be an ice bitch when I grow up,"_ Yuffie had bobbed her head charmingly, swinging her legs over the side of the airship. That was along the way to evacuate the people from Midgar. _"Anyway, with initials like that, you've really got nothing to worry about."_

Blinking, Vincent looked again at the two boys standing on the wharf. Their hands were clasped with white knuckles, staring over the vast ocean. The pair of them was obviously Wutain, with their jet-black hair and flat faces. One said something to the other, who shook his head mournfully. Vincent glanced around for parents, but saw no one with any racial resemblance about.

"Where are your parents?" Vincent picked up his rusty Wutain. He hadn't studied it since he was a Turk, some forty years ago. The children jumped, and looked back at him. They bore delicate features and large eyes. They were twins. One lifted his hand and pointed across the ocean.

"Mother said it wasn't safe," he explained.

"She and her family aren't getting along," the second agreed. That explained a lot. Wutai was infamous for crime families. He glanced around again.

"Who are you staying with?"

"Daddy's lover," the second provided again. It struck him as odd, but mistresses weren't so uncommon either. Vincent brushed off the peculiarities of Wutai society.

"Where is she?"

"We don't care," the first continued with a sigh.

"She doesn't like us. Her eyes are cold," the second observed. They sat in the eerie unison of twins, dangling their legs. Vincent recalled Yuffie that evening, wind in her hair, as she gazed forlornly in a similar expression. Rather then be repulsed, he accepted the vertigo of what used to be a commonplace situation for he and the image of a girl these two seemed to invoke.

"Will you sit?" the first asked. Vincent noted that his face was a little rounder then his twin's. He took up their offer, himself not sure what direction to go in his current wanderings. His lead had been a dead end again. "Are you from Wutai?"

"No. I've been a few times."

"Did you like it?"

"It's a beautiful place," he nodded.

"_You'd like Wutai. People there are quieter," _Yuffie had prattled away. _"I'm not much of a standard to go by, so don't worry!"_ she'd added quickly. These two children certainly seemed to uphold that model. They had fallen silent, very much lost and not sure how to talk to him. But as the silence stretched on, no one seemed to mind. Or, so Vincent thought.

"It's too quiet!" The round-faced boy leaped up, bellowing these words. Yuffie's voice accompanied him with almost uncomfortable similarity. The child began wriggling out of his clothing, and dove into the water before his sibling could stop him.

"Mitsuru!" the other boy cried in dismay. "Mom said no jumping!"

"_You're_ not mom!" Mitsuru laughed, splashing about in the water. He ducked under the water, then shot up and pulled his brother in after him. Laughing Mitsuru emerged with his distraught sibling.

"I have salt in my nose," he wrinkled his face, hacking.

"Be happy Hokuto!" Mitsuru commanded, ducking Hokuto under the waves. They wrestled as Vincent watched them in mild amusement. He recalled a match between Red and Yuffie in the water that had appeared in Aeris' church. The cat had not looked so regal, and Yuffie had been quite victorious. That is, until the cat had managed to use her to leap out of the water and drench everyone else in a monumental shake. Yuffie had followed suit, making a considerably smaller mess. Barret had complained loudly about rust as Yuffie had accidentally tipped Tifa over onto Cloud. After which, Yuffie had promptly turned Vincent's cape into a hand towel and tangled herself up so that they stood uncomfortably close together. Her cheeks had been so pink, and he'd let her stay tangled up as they faded into the background. Her head had fit just right against his chest, and her chattering teeth sent peculiar tremors through him.

The children preoccupied themselves with play, using words he wasn't familiar with. He could only assume they were friendly, because neither opted to fight about it. They dove down deep and pulled up bits of junk, giving their proclaimed treasure to Vincent for safe keeping on shore. He humored them and enjoyed an afternoon of childish fairytales. They eventually climbed out and warred with muddy hands over their scraps.

Mitsuru was the vanquished one, wailing loudly about soup and squid monsters. Hokuto laughed, and pawed through the spoils. There were a few coins of low value and some tarnished toys and scraps, but nothing of much note. Vincent watched each boy palm his findings and then deposit the refuse in a garbage can.

"I bet you could throw us way out," Mitsuru observed of Vincent after a moment. He was mostly dry by now, and the sun was setting. "Just once," he took a pleading stance when he realized that Vincent wasn't necessarily willing to comply. "One time! It's a great idea!" The last time he'd heard that, Vincent had been helping Yuffie stash what he later found to be Cloud's keys to the Fenrir. Cloud had practically grounded him for encouraging Yuffie's reckless and childlike kleptomania. Yuffie had insisted that she had a surprise for Cloud and that he couldn't be allowed to find it so desperately that Vincent had allowed himself to believe her.

"Please," both boys turned to him now with expressions of such pitiable pleading that he was forced to give in before he called them Yuffie. He stood up, and in a flash, had flung Mitsuru out twenty feet from the wharf. He gave a delighted squeal all the way out, landing with an enormous splash.

"Me too! Me too!" Hokuto pleaded. Vincent obliged, allowing himself a smile as the children came cheering back towards the shore. Yuffie did the same thing when he gave in. It had always been gratifying.

"You two are leading me back to more derelict habits," Vincent smiled at them, helping to pull them out of the water. They cheered as he did so, and begged to be flung again. Vincent glanced at the sky, and obliged once more.

Yuffie had always made him feel young. He gave in and relished the memories of time together, and admitted to himself how much he missed her. As he pulled the children up again and they shamelessly dried themselves off in his cape, he made a mental note to see Yuffie and plead for her forgiveness. That resolved, he walked them back as far as they would allow.

"She'll get mad if she sees a stranger," Mitsuru explained dispassionately. His youthful face looked downtrodden. "Are you gonna be here tomorrow?"

"I have to go see someone," he shook his head. "I have to say I'm sorry now." The boys threw themselves against his legs and hugged him fiercely. "I'm sure you'll get to go home soon."

"Thanks for playing with us," Hokuto looked up.

"Thank you," Vincent replied. He had the urge to pat their heads, a tactic he'd seen Cid use time and again on Yuffie when he didn't know what else to do. He gave in, and did just this. They seemed to respond the physical touch, before turning and bounding away. He wished them well, and concentrated now on going to Wutai.


	31. Childhood Friendships

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

Chapter 31: Childhood Friendships

Sakura had been hiding outside from her two younger brothers all day. Her mother Doujima wasn't doing anything to defend her from their terrors, so Sakura had moved her operations to the expansive garden. She could hear the chaos inside, and wished her mother the worst of the storm Sakura was always partial to.

At five years old, she was precocious and curious, and already had spectacles firmly situated on her small nose. She was freckled and gangly, nothing in comparison to her graceful mother. The other children at the palace always made fun of her, and sometimes the servants would steal her glasses and dance about with them.

She missed the comfortable nights she spent in the palace with her father, when he was busy at work in his study. Her mind was insatiable, and she had taken apart any number of things in the palace time and again. Her father encouraged this, providing puzzles and the like. Her mother had no patience for the dismantled appliances or the strange hybrid recreations Sakura was talented at putting together.

This morning's argument had been over something Sakura had labored for hours, deconstructing and reconstructing the contraption. Her brothers had taken and destroyed it, and Doujima had dismissed it with an air of irritation. Sakura simply couldn't fathom why they got away with it and she was in trouble for pulling it apart and putting it back together. They could only break what she could play with.

At the moment, she sulked over a flowerbed, knowing better then to pull them apart. She had learned early on that living things did not follow the same rules as mechanical. Instead of destroying them, Sakura focused on altering the water fountain to better irrigate a patch of them. She had a spade in one hand and was muddy all over, her small pink kimono in smudged ruins. She looked up at the sound of thunder, and frowned as the sky seemed to open up on her. It was so late in the afternoon, and just a moment ago it had been so clear.

As she moved to get inside, she realized the amount of mud she would track in after her. Her mother would be angry again. Rather then face her rage, Sakura floundered, and then ran around the side of the house to hide underneath a window box. She crouched down and huddled there, waiting for the rain to subside.

After a short time, footsteps pattered hurriedly towards the house. She watched her half brothers run for it, heedless of their filthiness, and tear open the screen door. Mitsuru went in, but Hokuto stopped and spotted her. He was a year younger then she was, and they hardly ever spoke. Since their mothers were such different people, they rarely interacted. His duties as an heir and his role as a boy also separated them.

But rather then go in, as his brother had, Hokuto closed the screen door and came towards her. He stood before her, frowning in confusion, before pulling off his small jacket and holding it up over their heads. He squatted awkwardly down beside her, and crab walked so that they were side to side. After a moment of shocked silence, Sakura wriggled closer and they shared the rain shelter together.


	32. Civil War

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Cid is very protective of his Yuffie and her interests. Bear with his temper tantrum. Perhaps some of you might enjoy a little senseless rage directed at Shelk over Vince.

Chapter 32: Civil War

"What the Hell is going on out there?" Cid shouted at the television, throwing the cigarette out of his mouth. It rolled and sparked on the metal floors. He soaked in the images of people struggling to get out of Wutai, mingled with shots of burning cities. Everyone in the lounge sat slack jawed, and one attendant dropped paperwork at the image of a camera crew being wiped out. There was only the indication from shouts and screams.

"Wutai's rebels, led by 24-year-old Taromaru, younger brother to Empress Yuffie Kisaragi, announced this morning with the first attack that all outsiders were to stay out. Empress Kisaragi has issued orders for all tourists and non-Wutains to evacuate, as Taromaru demonstrated his absolute stance by shooting down and executing over sixty reporters." The anchor woman kept going as Cid's mind ran circles around itself. The biggest point hit him squarely between the eyes.

Yuffie hadn't asked for help.

A tall pagoda was collapsing on the screen, belching smoke and flame, tantalizing a red sky. He didn't know what city it was, only that it was not Wutai's capital city and it wasn't Yuffie's pagoda. Cid's mind simply did not respond as he watched the turmoil. He reached up and touched his head, feeling the uncharacteristic sting of tears in his eyes. Hadn't Yuffie _trusted_ them?

"God fuckin' dammit Reeve! What the fuck do you call that?" Cid turned on his superior, who sat in as much shock as the pilot. His eyes were enormous, knuckles white around the mug of coffee he had just poured.

"Civil war…" Shelk breathed, her blue eyes terrified. "Yuffie's country…"

"Fuck the country! Where the hell is Yuffie? Why did we let this happen to her?" Cid bellowed. Shelk flinched at the sound of his voice, taking a step back.

"My sources knew nothing…Yuffie never said anything…"

"Yuffie doesn't say a lotta shit!" the pilot raged. "I don't give and ass-flip if she kept her jaw wired shut about it! It's your job to know what's happening in the world! What lame ass surveillance is this?"

"Cid, calm down!" Shelk pleaded, recognizing the look of blame on Reeve's face. She put her hand on their superior's shoulder for support.

"Was I sayin' anything to you?" Cid turned on her now. Her eyes grew wide. "You stay the hell outta this! This is AVALANCHE business!"

"Shouting at Reeve won't do any good!" Shelk countered, her courage rising.

"You better get the fuck outta my conversation," Cid snarled. He wheeled back on Reeve. "God fucking damn it, that's Yuffie out there! That's _Yuffie_." Reeve passed a hand over his eyes, and stood up. When he looked again at Cid, his eyes were set and determined. The shock had been scared out of him, while Cid's initial burst of temper was mollified. "What are you gonna do about it?"

"Nothing," one of the older recruits said, and Cid turned with a snarl at him. "Not if you want her children to survive," he added, and the words choked in Cid's throat. His blue eyes widened. The man was Wutain. He extended a note, sealed with an impressive design. Reeve cautiously strode forward, and took the letter as other men surged up and held the offender's arms.

"The rebels have the children," Reeve swallowed hard.

"If you want them to live, AVALANCHE and the WRO will stay out of Wutai," the man smiled, and clenched his jaw. There was the distinct crack of something in his mouth, and in a second, he slumped forward. Reeve reached beneath his chin, and shook his head. Suicide.

Cid's heart stopped. He caught himself on the table, breathing heavy. A cold sweat had broken out on his forehead. His tongue felt like sand paper. Yuffie would be destroyed. They were crippling her from all sides.

"It says we're not to inform her," Reeve whispered. "If there's an attempt made to rescue them, or any indication we pass along information, their execution will be public." Cid had to sit down. He felt weak and dizzy. The thought that his children should be held for ransom was unbearable, something that made him feel hollow and empty. Why was this happening to Yuffie? What twist of fate had caused this?

"Everyone out," Cid ordered hoarsely. The people around him were quivering. "Reeve, Shelk, you stay. We need to talk. All of you, out." His voice was so soft it made the people around him uneasy. They shuffled out, nervously whispering and dragging the body out.

Cid was lost, remembering the day the twins were born. He'd been the one Yuffie had asked to be there. His fingers recalled her crushing grip with aching clarity. Her small fingers had held fast to him like the talons of one of the Weapons, and her thrashing cries and drawn face still haunted him from time to time. She'd pushed with her whole form, shrieking curses and vows to execute anyone who _ever_ put her in this much pain again.

After childbirth when she lay with her two wailing sons, she had given him a grin and thanked him for staying with her. He'd guffawed then, but the meaning of her words had not been lost on him. It was a thanks for sticking with her, for sharing the most lonesome moments of her life. His heart ached to be with her now.

"We have to help her," he said quietly. There was no way she could handle another betrayal. "We have to talk to the others."

"I thought this was AVALANCHE business," Shelk said bitterly.

"Fuck you. You're replacing your Vampire fuck of a boyfriend," Cid snarled.

"Watch your mouth!" Shelk shouted back.

"Listen kid! I'm not in any mood for horseshit political correctness!" Cid snapped. "Now, are you going to help Yuffie or not?"

"Of course I'll help Yuffie. You'd better clean up your mouth!"

"Don't be such a pussy. Are you in, Reeve?"

"We're walking a fine line here,"

"They're gonna kill those kids either way. It just depends on when, and if we can get to them first," Cid replied wearily. Reeve grimaced at an image on the television, and turned to Shelk.

"My dear, I leave it to you to dig up what you can about what's happening in Wutai. In the mean time, I'll worry about contacting the others. Do you still have those phone models you designed for Vince?"

"They won't be a problem," she replied. She glanced at Cid hatefully, before swirling out of the room.

"You really went overboard on her," Reeve cautioned gently when she was gone.

"I'm still angry at her and that pasty bastard bein' such an item. Yuffie's blood." Cid shook his head, selecting another cigarette. His hands were shaking. Reeve put a hand on Cid's shoulder, and squeezed it once, before turning to go.

"We'll need him, you know?"

"His ass is grass if he bails this time," the pilot growled vindictively. "Sometimes I think Yuffie's got bigger balls then him, even if he did own that fuckin' Omega bitch." Reeve smiled, and left. Cid focused his energy after that onto what he would say the next time he saw the Vampire.


	33. Pitfalls

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Every man has his weakness...

Chapter 33: Pitfalls

Tennouji stared Reno down, the pair of them locked in silent combat. They had been friends for years, since they were both teenagers, and knew every dirty deed the other had commit. They shared women and drinks, and had been very careful to put the other in a situation where they would be on opposite sides of the war. All that had changed when Reno had asked openly for Tennouji's help. It was to help the Empress no less, a person the Karasuma family wanted out of the way at all costs. She was bad for business. Stranger yet, Tennouji hadn't balked and had openly divulged information about Asa.

"I'm not used to reacting to direct requests," Tennouji sighed wearily at length. "Now I'm a conspirator."

"I know I messed up. We're not supposed to do any real business with each other," Reno nodded, looking tired as well. "You're in hot water now."

"Warmer then I've grown accustomed to," Tennouji nodded.

"Sorry, bud."

"No, you're not. Not yet. What's the Empress to you, anyway? Why the do-good attitude? Asa's paying you, you know."

Reno sighed, and started looking his age. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes. The guy had been a hit man for nearly twenty years, and now he was starting to grow a conscience. This sort of thing was bad for business.

"Asa's got one helluva paycheck, lemme tell you," Reno's smile returned full force. "You know me. I'm all about the prettier girl."

"Asa's known as the _Fox_. The Empress is…pardon my saying so, but the Empress isn't half as much in beauty as Asa. I'm not following your logic," Tennouji sighed in dismay. Reno shrugged.

"I just like Yuffie better. She's feisty. She's not…she's not a part of this." Reno waved his hand around, meaning their world. "I don't really know the answer, if you're bound and determined to hear me say so."

"Some people call that love,"

"Love 'em and leave 'em I always say."

"That's not what I meant."

"Who are you, Elena?" Reno was starting to sound irritable. Tennouji knew he was getting to the bottom of things now, and shook his head. Even Reno had his weaknesses. "Okay, yes, I think the Empress is attractive, and given half an inkling, I would have my way with her and whistle off, thinking quite happily 'fuck yeah! I just scored with an Empress!' But I'm not doin' it because of that. I guess…maybe I just like the way she blushed over dinner when I said she was pretty. Is that a crime?"

"You have it bad," Tennouji shook his head, as Reno got more flustered.

"Fuck you!"

"What did Rude and Elena say?"

"…They're just goin' along," he answered, glaring at the bottle of sake between them.

"How quaint," Tennouji poured them each a drink, and looked pointedly at Reno. "You're going to have to take the fall if you want me to spill the beans about anything. I mean, it's going to be a hard fall."

"Will I live?"

"That depends on how far your Empress is willing to go,"

"The ladies kill for Reno,"

"This involves her children," Tennouji replied sharply. Reno was silent, his face looking a little pale now. "If she doesn't kill you, you could be able to pass along some vital information. My job is to set you up so you take the fall and deliver the coup to the Empress' will. Without her brother Shuya beside her, she's not so confident."

"What happened?"

"They kidnapped her children from Doujima, over in Costa del Sol…and Doujima, Kale's mistress, is in on the whole thing," Tennouji murmured softly. "Sonji's been working for her,"

"How the hell did you get this kind of information?" Reno glanced around them.

"Asa wants to set you up for the fall."

"What's to keep me from talking?"

"Rude and Elena. They're back at the hotel, yes?"

"…Shit…how will the others' positions be saved?"

"Nobody knows your workin' for the Rebels. It'll look like the Shinra were coming in to take advantage of the confusion. I told you to get out of here," Tennouji growled. "There's nothing I can do but let you know how you're supposed to act out your part. Damn it, Reno. Why now? Why the Empress?"

Reno took a long drag from his cigarette, closed his eyes, and relaxed. His muscles unwound visibly. There was a long pause.

"God damn. Figures I'd fall for a woman who'd make me die for her. So, I go find Doujima in Costa del Sol. I suppose the ambush'll be waiting."

"Of course."

"And Rude and Elena?"

"They'll be released after your fate is determined."

"After I'm dead," Reno nodded. He downed the sake and stood up. "Everything arranged?"

"A copter's on the roof," he nodded. Reno smirked.

"Nice knowin' ya, bud." He swaggered off, looking calm and collected. His hands weren't even shaking.

"Reno!" Tennouji called. His friend turned and looked back, an amused look in his mako eyes. "You're sober enough to fly?" Reno laughed.

"Sober enough to kamikaze my ass into Doujima's place," he answered, and swaggered upstairs. "Kiss the Empress once for me, huh bud?"

"No way. She'd cut my tongue out faster then I could do the deed," Tennouji shook his head. Reno smirked.

"Just goes to show how bad a kisser you are," he called insolently. Tennouji's smile faded once the red head was gone. The real ugly part would come after Reno was imprisoned. He wished that Reno's sacrifice would mean something, but in the end, it wouldn't.

"More sake, please," he sighed.


	34. Comeuppances

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Justice is sweet and brutal!

Chapter 34: Comeuppances

Doujima was quite content these days. She was just expecting afternoon tea when a knock at the door alerted her. "Who is it?" she called from her position in the breezy sitting room. Her children were all finally down for a nap, and Yuffie's brats were handed over to Sonji with little difficulty. They had caused a considerable row, one she'd had to insist to her children was a product of the neighboring rock band, but were easily apprehended.

"Sorry to burst in on you and all," a man opened the door, smiling charmingly. He was a lanky red head with mako eyes. Doujima sat up, alarmed. She instantly thought of her children, wondering if they were alright. "Your vastly inferior children are fine, which is more then I can say for someone else," he reassured her. Her face paled.

"Where are they?" she demanded.

"Napping," he shrugged. "Now, do you know why I'm here?"

"N-no,"

"Okay, if you're going to make this tough on me," he sighed, closing the door and locking it. There was a cool breeze coming in through the window, and he crossed the room to shutter it. Doujima bolted up and headed for the door. The instant her hand touched the knob, a crushing grip closed around her upper arm. She was jerked around and pressed back into the wall.

The man smelled like musk and cigarettes, and he was well muscled beneath the rumpled suit he was wearing. She was panting quickly, her heart hammering to get out of her rib cage.

"Okay, so maybe your brats are writhing in significant agony. Would you tell me what I need to know?" the man said conversationally.

"You wouldn't!" she hissed.

"You didn't seem to have any qualms," he smiled, pulling her away from the door and steering her to the couch.

"What are you talking about?" she snarled, terror rising in her.

"I'm talking about the Empress' children," he replied, forcing her to sit. "Now, you can tell me where they went, or I can extract it from you very painfully." She searched his face for a spark of weakness, but saw nothing in his cold eyes.

"If I had anything to say, don't you think I would to save myself?" she demanded, lifting her chin.

"Wrong answer," he took her hand. She strained to pull it back, but he held fast, and took her thumb. With blinding speed he snapped it. She cried out, when he muffled her scream with a hand. "Now, again. What happened?"

"I don't know!" She cried out, breathing fast. He snapped another finger, smiling all the while. "I really don't! If I knew, I'd say so! Why are you doing this?"

"You know, it's just not sinking in the kind of things I could do to you, is it?" The man landed an iron fist on her cheek, and Doujima tumbled to the floor. He followed with a sharp kick to the ribs. Doujima screamed, and sobbed. She'd never felt this much pain before in her life. "This is nothing. Think about your situation here as a woman." Her face paled, but she lifted her tear-streaked face.

"Do your worst. I'm glad those little monsters are gone! I'll do everything I can to get Empress Kisaragi out of the way!" she shouted.

"Gotta give you credit for stupidity lady," the man smirked. He reached forward and drove his fingers into her collarbone. She shrieked in surprise and pain. Blinding colors slammed into her temple, as he forced her onto her stomach and pulled an arm behind her.

"I'm not telling you! It's all for him!" she wept, writhing beneath merciless pain.

"Look, I'm getting tired of this. Usually I take things slow with the ladies, but you're an exception." Doujima heard the snap of a blade, and turned to see the glittering butterfly knife catching what had been a beautiful afternoon sun. Her eyes widened visibly, and she struggled to get away from him. He turned her over, pulled the breast of her kimono open. She screamed, before feeling the knife bite down along her skin. "So?"

"What kind of demon are you?" she whimpered. He smirked, gripping her throat and tilting her head back.

"It doesn't really matter. I'm as much a pawn as you've become," he said lightly. The cold blade licked her throat. She swallowed hard. There was too much to live for.

"Wutai," she whispered. "They're in Wutai now."

"Where," the man contented himself by carving something just beneath her collar bone. She grimaced against the pain, sobbing.

"I don't know…I just let Sonji take them…"

"Did he kill them?" he asked, his mako eyes fixed on her.

"No…" she gurgled. "I'm sure he didn't,"

"Where are they in Wutai?"

"I…I don't know…" she whimpered. "He said he'd take care of them…until a good time to make it public…"

"And where'd you find him?"

"He found me…"

"Great. All that's left then is to cause pain," he smiled.

Doujima didn't even know how many broken bones she had by the time men pulled this one away from her. She vaguely recalled looking up into his face as he was dragged away, smiling at her in defeat. There was something she didn't understand in his expression, a look that was both delighted and despaired all at once.

"Make him pay," she wheezed, curling up and holding her bloody flesh.


	35. Unexpected Twists

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** Brace yourselves folks!!!

Chapter 35: Unexpected Twists

Nayuta stood beside his brother-in-law as he surveyed the deployment of their troops. There were battlefronts everywhere, and their allies becoming fewer and fewer as more of Nayuta's siblings jumped ships to join with Taromaru. The bloodthirsty savage was burning villages, and Kale was doing everything in his power to meet rebel troops and either divert or defeat them before more civilians were involved.

Camped outside of Nanbai, a decent sized city in the south, situated in a pass leading directly to the peninsular capitol, Nayuta and Kale had been on the battlefront for a week now. Nayuta reflected on Yuffie's peerless value and information about the enemy lines and movements. She seemed to be everywhere at once, with eyes and ears in every wall and tent. It was uncanny how easily she located the two of them as well.

"This is bad. We're losing ground," Kale murmured. "How's the evacuation of the city going?"

"Almost done," Yuffie materialized in the tent, brushing sweat and gunpowder off of her face. She smelled like explosions and magic, her soldier's clothing singed and stained with blood and dirt. "They're rounding up the last of the dependants. They should be out by dawn. Asahi's troops are moving to flank us to southeast." Her dirty fingernail tapped lightly on the parchment, tracing the line of movement. "And Taromaru's mongrels are trying to cut through the high passes farther north to get to the civilians. How are we standing with our troops?"

"Spread too thin as it is," Kale shook his head. Yuffie flexed her cold fingers, and brought them to her wind-chapped face to warm them. She had a distant look that said she was already planning how to take on the army alone.

"How about breaking up the unity in the rebels?" Nayuta diverted her, trying to get her out of her reckless endangerment of self. Yuffie had developed an ability to plot multiple strategies at the same time however, and Nayuta watched her pick up another line of thought, balancing the two flawlessly.

"Asa has a very strict control over everyone. Even Yakuza don't cross her," she smirked. "But I at least managed to incite a few simmering squabbles back on fire again. It will weaken the southern reinforcements for a while. Asa's sent her top men to quash it, which will leave her mildly vulnerable."

"Taking out Asa will shake the whole rebellion," Nayuta told her. Yuffie bit her lip, and released the mountain pass invasion for a moment.

"Assassination…"

"It's time to start gripping the facts, Yuffie. You're going to have to kill your own. They won't hesitate to kill you. Look at Shuya." Yuffie winced, and reached instinctively for her conformer. Her fingers traced the worn shafts holding it together, absently drawing comfort from the instrument of death she wielded so easily.

"…I'll go there right away…I'll take care of Asa."

Nayuta watched as memories washed over her. Kale hadn't even looked up at the idea of murdering his in-laws. He was oblivious to the difficulty this was causing Yuffie. Nayuta yearned to reach out to her, but there was no time for gentleness in war. She had risen to the occasion before, and this could be no exception.

The phone in Nayuta's sash buzzed, and he reached in and withdrew it. The number was not listed, and he flipped it open.

"Nayuta," he stated, knowing very well who was on the other end.

"The children are safely imprisoned at Taromaru's. The messengers have all contacted AVALANCHE and told them to stay out of things," Sonji said softly.

"Very well."

"Asa apprehended two of the Turks and has them detained. The last Turk, however, has made a mess of things. You need to be on your guard. He tortured the Emperor's courtesan,"

"I'm sorry, repeat that," Nayuta was careful to keep his voice flat.

"Yuffie, when you can, I need better information about the Yakuza activities in the city," Kale was saying in the background.

"It goes like this," Yuffie sighed, and began to sketch out a diagram.

"The last Turk moved on Doujima. Asa sent him to make it look like Yuffie was allowing too much Shinra influence into the country, but he attacked Doujima instead. She's badly injured. Asa intends now to put a rift between Emperor and Empress."

"How so?" Nayuta lowered his voice.

"She intends to say that the Empress used the Shinra to attempt an assassination on the Emperor's courtesan," Sonji explained. Nayuta's throat went dry. "That wild card Reno worked better for Asa then planned. Still, he reacted foolishly. His interrogation of the woman was sketchy at best, a forced action, and he knew about her handing the children over to me. The things he did were simply to cause her pain."

"Anything else?"

"No sir. Shall I wait for your orders?"

"Monitor the situation. The wild card?"

"The Phoenix Room, but he hasn't arrived there yet."

"I haven't heard from Reno in a while…I hope he's alright…" Yuffie's words caught in Nayuta's ear. "Come to think of it, Rude and Elena have been low key too." The innocent was incriminating herself even now, just with the fond look on her face. Nayuta's guts roiled. How was he going to protect her from this? He thought about ordering Sonji to execute the hot head, but refrained when he saw the real attachment his sister had to them.

"Do what you can to stall his arrival there. I'll see what I can do," Nayuta sighed softly.

"Sir," Sonji agreed and hung up. If only Asa hadn't wanted to make an example of the Turks, things could be going so much differently. Sonji, Nayuta's double agent, wouldn't have had to piss off the Shinra elite, _and_ put Yuffie on his sent. The man had barely managed to keep half a step ahead of Nayuta's gifted and dogged sister. What was Nayuta ever going to do about this message from Doujima the traitor? He had let Doujima lie for too long. He knew he should have killed her.

"You look tired," Kale examined Yuffie. Her smirk looked a little faded.

"Gotta keep moving,"

"Have some tea to warm up with before you go," Kale suggested. Yuffie took him up on the offer, seating herself on a stool as he poured. Nayuta opened his phone, and found his eldest son's phone number. He listened to the rings.

"How are things? Is Yuffie alright?" Shunji demanded instantly.

"Do you remember the games you two used to play in the pagoda? The mirror game?"

"…is Yuffie okay?"

"Things are going to get very ugly," Nayuta replied, turning his back on his sister and her husband as they actually had a pleasant conversation. "You have a woman's charms and a man's strength. I need you here."

"I'm coming, father. I'll be there,"

"Silence and secrecy," Nayuta warned. "Be careful, son." He hung up and turned as the tent opened to a haggard messenger, who looked cold and disoriented. He was carrying a message with Doujima's seal on it.


	36. Accusation

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **It's gonna be bad for Yuffie for a bit. Please hang on for her! And me!

Chapter 36: Accusation

Yuffie tensed in alarm as she saw Doujima's seal. She and Kale exchanged glances, both worrying about children and Doujima's well being. Emperor and Empress stood together as Kale broke the seal, and they began reading.

The muscles in Yuffie's body suddenly wound like iron, and her face paled. Bile and a coppery taste rose in her throat, as her stomach knotted itself. Pale faced, she met Kale's shocked and enraged expression. She could see the gears whirring and connecting things in his mind.

"_I haven't heard from Reno in a while…I hope he's alright…"_ she had just said the words to incarcerate herself with a crime she hadn't committed. As Yuffie tried to formulate a response as he put together an accusation, the other half of her mind was going over what must have happened. Reno wasn't stupid. This outright attack must have had something to do with the rebellion, or Sonji, because Reno wouldn't sell her out like this…would he? No, no, he wouldn't! He just couldn't!

Doujima, then? Was Doujima working with the rebellion? If Reno was her enemy, then it was a set up, but Reno wouldn't have gotten himself caught under normal circumstances. He was dallying in _well_ protected territory, and the medical reports indicated a sadistic desire to inflict pain on Doujima. Torture was not beyond Reno, but he was practical about it. The pointlessness of Doujima's pain and Reno's subsequent capture without a struggle was proof to her that Doujima had to be the culprit. Then…were her children safe? Yuffie's face went white as a sheet.

"Bitch!" Kale roared. The back of his fist connected with Yuffie unexpectedly. She staggered backwards a few steps, and her hand rose up in a daze at his reaction. Kale had never struck her before, but he closed the distance between them and wrapped his hands around her throat. Her knees buckled in despair. Did he really think she would do something like this? Even after all these years?

As the burning in her lungs began to register and Nayuta's voice hit her ears, Yuffie snapped back to reality. She abandoned despair as quickly as it had come, feeling anger consume and destroy it. Her hands closed around his wrists and broke the hold he had on her.

"_How dare you,_" she snarled.

"I trusted you!" Kale insisted.

"Do you honestly think that if I wanted her dead, I would have wasted my time with hired help?" Yuffie snapped back. "Now where are my children?" she demanded.

"_Your_ children? Your children? They're _my_ children. You, you're…" Kale stammered for words, as Yuffie felt her insides getting colder, as the temperature around her began to drop. "Guards!" Kale shouted.

"What are you doing?" Nayuta gripped Kale's shoulder, spinning him around and snarling into his face. The guards burst into the tent, as Kale flung the letter into Nayuta's face. Her brother took the letter, not yet releasing the grip he had on Kale. His eyes skimmed through it and widened. "And you would turn on her?" Kale spluttered, looking dumbfounded. "An eight-year-old could have forged a better report. You believe this?"

"_Doujima_ wouldn't lie to me," Kale hissed, attempting to remove Nayuta from him.

"But I would?" Yuffie challenged, lifting her chin arrogantly. Kale glared at her, seething. Yuffie had never felt anger that rivaled this, and her fury had never been ice cold. "_I would lie to you_? Who is it cheating on who?"

"You couldn't handle the idea of being married to me, ever. Not even when we were children! So I looked outside of my life sentence with you in order to find someone that could love me!" Kale tore himself away from Nayuta as the guards looked between each other. Yuffie's heart got colder. "You have brought this isolation and misery down on yourself!"

"And so because I wouldn't cheat, that makes me a liar?"

"You wanted her out of the picture! You want me to suffer in the same self-righteous manner you have!" Kale shook his head.

Yuffie couldn't help herself. She laughed in a manner that chilled the hearts around her. Even Nayuta seemed to swallow hard at the sound of her bitter amusement. Shaking her head, Yuffie strode to the table, and smiled down at the map, detailing where their troops were and recounting the numerous battlefronts.

"You think I would send my children to watch a woman die? You think I would leave my children with her?" She asked this softly, lifting her index finger and tracing the familiar landmass of her homeland.

"I don't know how your mind works. I want this woman arrested," Kale replied, turning to his guards.

"I won't allow it!" Nayuta snarled. "You're a fool!"

"It can be debated in court. You'll stand your trial immediately with the justices." Kale gave her a venomous look.

"Where are my children?" Yuffie asked.

"I wouldn't blame Doujima if she throttled them," he said roughly. The accused empress drew a small knife, and she cut the tip of her finger.

"This is madness!" Nayuta argued.

"Arrest this man as well," Kale jerked his chin at Nayuta.

"Don't be an idiot, Kale," Yuffie said calmly. She pressed her bloody fingertip down on the map, over Asa's city. She moved it again, and quietly counted nine siblings against her. "Nayuta's troops are loyal to myself and Nayuta alone. The only reason you have any command is because you married into our family," she told him when she was through. "If you dethrone Nayuta, you lose the backbone of your military powers."

"Yuffie, I won't allow this!"

"Let them take me to trial," Yuffie looked at her brother. "Nayuta, you need to worry about the Kisaragi legacy. Father always said he wished you were the heir. I trust my people." Yuffie extended her hands to her guards, and they swallowed.

"My lady?" they asked her questioningly.

"Please, take me. I stand accused of attempted murder of the Emperor's lover," Yuffie looked at them with a grim and heartless irony. The guards standing in her colors looked at her pleadingly, before one, a lieutenant named Daisuke, took her small wrists in both of his rough hands. He carefully tightened handcuffs around them, and gently placed his hands on her arm.

"You're a fool," Daisuke said as his voice grated against itself.

"However true, it's not your place, soldier," Yuffie told him. "Remember the kingdom," she added of her brother, who stood with a pale face and clenched jaw. It looked like he was having trouble breathing.

Yuffie was walked out into the thickly falling snow. She tilted her face back, letting the snowflakes melt on her cheeks softly. Breathing in the razor sharp cold, a smile lifted the corners of her mouth.

"_Did you know that the first two letters of your first and last name spell 'viva?' VIVA LA VAMPIRE!!!"_ she heard herself saying brightly in the past. Ah, Vincent. She hadn't thought about him in a long time. _"Mine's yuki. That means snow in Wutain. Maybe I'll be an ice bitch when I grow up."_

Amused at the precognizant abilities of her younger self, Yuffie blew out a long breath of fog. She followed Daisuke's gentle push towards a convoy.

"My lady, why are you allowing this?" Daisuke asked softly. Yuffie looked at him over her shoulder, studying the face of the older man more critically then she ever had before.

"I have to know my children are alright before I make any moves," she replied. "After all, it was Doujima who had them last…what an idiot I am…" shaking her head, she sat down and clasped her hands in her lap. The people of Wutai would either make her escape from this horrible situation easier or more difficult. She had no intention of being imprisoned, but she would give it until the trial. Taking deep, steadying breaths, Yuffie assumed the lotus position, concentrating on not getting motion sickness.


	37. Fear

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** Mini chapter! Yeah! Sorry for the delayed update! I will be sure to throw in two chapters plus this chibi chapter! Well wishes from the moon!

Mini Chapter 37: Fear

The waves were troubled today. Fish were leaping into the air, their glittering bodies writhing against the endless blue backdrop of sky and ocean. Godo watched them, distinctly uneasy in the eternal twilight of his world. Leviathan lay, panting shallow breaths, his great eyes sunken in and scales peeling off. His mighty beard was almost all fallen out, and no mane was left. The brittle skin around his claws had chipped, bearing tiny red wounds to the world, with his teeth growing more yellow by the day.

"What is happening?" Godo asked unsteadily. Leviathans antlers had fallen away, long ago sunken into the waves.

"Things have been unbalanced too long," Leviathan moaned. His breathing was shallow. Godo laid a hand against his steaming scales, and almost flinched away. The great dragon cracked an eye, and gazed at him in fog. "The sun cannot remain in the ocean forever…"

Terrified of the harpies, Godo fisted his hands and glared down at his feet. He wished Da Chao's messenger would return…


	38. Plans

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **'Bout time we got some AVALANCHE!!!!

Chapter 38: Plans

"So we all know why we're here," Reeve said, motioning for silence. There was an unusual degree of chatter from the members of AVALANCHE after gathering in Seventh Heaven. Reeve looked at all the familiar faces, the only one absent being that of Vincent. It had been a chore to keep Cid away from every phone in the place, so that he wouldn't call and verbally attack the gunslinger. Shelk stood in his place, her eyes glued to a computer and fingers working away. "I assume everyone received the same message from Yuffie's enemies?" The room nodded, each of them shifting uncomfortably. Most of them had children, and it was unsettling even trying to understand what having them held hostage would be like.

"Perhaps an overview of our current situation would be a place to start," offered the silky voice of Tseng, who stood from his place beside Reeve. The Turk was immaculately pressed, his calm expression as pleasantly unreadable as Vincent's was aloof. "The Turks were helping Yuffie Kisaragi to investigate matters regarding Sonji, a high class assassin who had kidnapped one of our own. The Empress intended us to deal with the yakuza circles, but once the trouble began, she enlisted us to help deal with it."

"What'd you get outta it?" Barret growled.

"Obviously her good graces," Tseng answered matter-of-factly, as if this should have been obvious. "She's uncanny when it comes to shooting us down," he flashed a false smile. He looked around the room as if asking permission to continue. "The last time I had a report was from Reno, a day ago, informing me that Elena and Rude are being held hostage, and he was on his way to interrogate the Emperor's mistress. They intend to use him as an example of how weak Yuffie is, seeing as she granted us permission to come into the country."

"So you bitches just made her look a whole helluva lot worse," Cid growled. Reeve shot him a restraining look, and he chewed harder on his cigarette.

"He did say that Doujima, the Emperor's mistress, is the one who handed Yuffie's children over to her enemies. She's been paying Sonji."

"So for starters we have to circulate this information amongst the public," Reeve agreed. "That's the first step…however, it's going to be difficult to get the people to believe that without it coming from a creditable source. One whisper of our names, and Yuffie's children are as good as dead." Everyone grimaced at the words Reeve spoke. "Any ideas?"

"Hold it," Shelk's voice cut through the air. Attention turned to her. "This is a news report from Wutai. It's the first I've been able to access. They've done a great job closing Wutai off from the outside world." Her eyes danced around the room, and returned to her screen.

"_Empress Kisaragi, a dedicated member of AVALANCHE and integral part of the WRO for five years, has ruled over Wutai with justice and dedication since her inauguration, almost five years ago. Youthful and exuberant, we all know our Empress' quick fingers and even faster grin. Her résumé includes serving in AVALANCHE during the Meteor Crisis, Kadaj incident, and the Omega fiasco. Records available to the public from her time in the WRO support the well-known fact that she was a peerless spy. However, in spite of her remarkable recommendations, it would seem that our good Empress picked up a few less then reputable friends and habits. _

"_While the Shinra Electric Company was destroyed for the most part, President Rufus Shinra has maintained the secret police, known only as the Turks. This unit has hounded not only Wutai, but the entirety of Gaia, since its inception. Since the fall of the Shinra, President Rufus and the Turks have been lending a helping hand to clean up the mess they've made. Their involvement in the Kadaj incident was vital to the defeat of the infamous gangsters. Yet now, they return again to Wutai to wreak havoc in our young and flourishing nation._

"_It has long been known that the matrimonial bliss shared by the Emperor and Empress has been on shaky legs. Rumors of delayed consummation and a slighted Empress have pervaded our society. In deed, it's common knowledge that the Emperor favors his beautiful Courtesan, Miss Doujima Hattori, to the charms of his accomplished wife. It would seem now that jealousy has poisoned our good Empress._

"_Reno, one of the highest ranking Turks, had been hired by Empress Kisaragi under the pretext of investigating the Yakuza families in relation to the human trade plaguing our cities. The fact that we should even allow Turks into Wutai is startling enough, let alone hiring them. In a shocking twist, however, it seems the Empress' true aim was to assassinate Miss Hattori."_

Shelk paused as a nervous hiss went around the room, and glancing at Tseng, Reeve noticed that the Turk looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"What are we going to do?" Tifa whispered, her grip tightening around Cloud's arm.

"It says they're planning to hold a trial…it looks like the Emperor is buying that excuse. Miss Hattori is badly injured…looks like severe scarring after being tortured."

"That idiot," Tseng covered his eyes and shook his head. "He just made her position even worse…what's he doing?" Shelk's breath hitched.

"Yuffie's in jail…she's facing a death sentence…" Shelk whispered. Cid made a strangled noise in the back of his throat. Reeve looked at him, and saw him gripping the table. Tifa had yipped, and the room began talking all at once. General hysteria broke into the room, rising in a deafening cacophony. Barret and Cid were shouting, Red was trying to calm them, as Cloud was busy consoling a very near-to-hysterics Tifa. Reeve and Tseng sighed in unison, each sharing the look of a jaded bureaucrat, and joined Shelk at her table.

"What else can you find out? Anything on where she's being held?" Reeve asked.

"How creditable is the source?" Tseng focused on a separate portion of the problem. Shelk looked up at him, her blue eyes disgusted.

"I'm one of the Deep Ground Svietz. How credible do you think my source is?" she demanded.

"Touché," he nodded, appeased.

"She's supposed to be held in a famous political prison in the west, under the supervision of one of her older brothers named Asahi…however, all messages regarding her current whereabouts refer to her as residing in the Phoenix's Plumage," Shelk frowned.

"Funny," Tseng pursed his lips, and turned to Reeve. "Do you recall the Shinra campaigns that occurred shortly after the Wutai war?" he asked. Reeve flipped through the pages of his memory and nodded. He of course hadn't been well informed on the situation, only aware of the massive amounts of reconstruction going on and the constant news reports of violence and death.

"The former President only had me managing the manpower sent to rebuild and remodel Wutai. I knew nothing of the particulars," he replied.

In the background, Cid and Barret were laying out schemes of storming the island nation with seven people, as Red tried to convince them that smuggling themselves in would be much more effective. Tifa had gone to the bar and was mixing drinks, as Cloud only looked on at the machinations of his fellows. Slowly, he went to join the table of ex-Shinra.

"I assume you've heard of the AVALANCHE that preceded your current party?" Tseng said, his eyes flicking over to Cloud as the blonde seated himself. Reeve only gave him a nod. "The Turks and this AVALANCHE were in a bitter war for a long time. Any of the captured Turks were said to dwell in the Emerald Clouds. It was a detention facility where our men were tortured. It was run in the pleasure district of a southern city, at the time. Shelk, can you research a courtesan by the name of Border Moon?"

"Do you have an approximate date?"

"Check for information just after the Wutai War."

"Who's Border Moon?" Reeve queried.

"She was in charge of the facilities at the time, a very powerful courtesan with a knack for extracting information from people. She was also AVALANCHE's financial backing. When AVALANCHE was finally done in, she simply vanished into Wutai."

"What makes you think she's got Yuffie now?"

"Operatives who were rescued from the Emerald Clouds babbled madly about the Phoenix room. It's where she did some of her more grisly work," Tseng gave them a grim smile. Reeve tensed, recalling a few reports of tortured men and their irrevocably damaged forms.

"Not much about her…only a few news articles here and there…I'm trying to match up her photographs right now with any more recent images," Shelk updated them, her eyes intense.

"How do you intend to get to Border Moon if you find her?" Cloud asked softly.

"I was hoping you would be able to do the leg work. I assume no one has found your most secretive member, as his absence has been duly noted," Tseng nodded in Cid's direction.

"I know where he is," Shelk answered softly. "He'll be useful, but I can only contact him for a moment before we would be caught. They're monitoring all communication very carefully."

If Reeve understood properly, then Vincent was already in Wutai. He looked at Shelk carefully, and then at her screen. She sighed in exasperation at length when nothing matched in her search, and flipped over to a different screen.

"Based on the references to the Phoenix's Plumage, my suggestion to Valentine would be to begin in the south's pleasure districts," Tseng said. Shelk nodded.

"This Sonji character you mentioned, I have found records of him. They're classified and will take more time to break into, a part of Asa's systems. You said he was the one who took the children?"

"Yes," Tseng nodded.

"Right."

"Vincent should begin hunting for Yuffie's children. That's our bottleneck," Cloud stated. Reeve turned to his leader, the charisma draped about his quite personality. The churning in Reeve's stomach began to ease. "Shelk, I'll leave the higher ups to you. Reeve, whoever you can spare in the WRO should be researching the family and monitoring all news feeds. Barret," Cloud stood up and turned to the table where Barret and Cid were arguing over a map. Red had his paws covering it, growling between them. "Economic sanctions will be your job. I want you to cut Wutai off at the knees, through your business partners and without your name on it. Cid, I want you to find out about smuggling. Figuring out who is getting weapons to the rebels and policing them is what you are to single mindedly dedicate yourself to."

The ex-SOLDIER turned guerrilla tactician emphasized his point by rolling up the map and banding it together. He looked between the two most fiery personalities, cowing them with his steely glare.

"What's your spikey ass gonna do?" Barret gruffed as Cid chewed on his cigarette.

"I'm a delivery boy," Cloud answered enigmatically. "Red, how do you feel about cages?"

"Why do I get a distinctly unpleasant feeling about this?" the feline frowned, sizing Cloud up. He looked like he was debating sinking his claws into the soft tissue of Cloud's chest, but thought better of it and turned his attention to their leader's exposed jugular.

"What about me?" Tifa demanded.

"Can you go to the store and get a gallon or two of bleach?" Cloud looked at her. Red's fur bristled.

"I refuse," Red snapped.

"You're going to be an exotic pet or you'll never get one of Tifa's belly scratches again," Cloud warned.

"You can't possibly enforce that," the cat scoffed. Cloud inclined his head.

"Can't I?" he demanded.

"Can you?" Tifa countered, sounding mildly irritated.

"I refuse to be decorated like a poodle," Red snapped.

"I was thinking stripes myself. Tifa, I'll leave the color selections to you," Cloud dismissed the cat.

"Hey! Are you listening to me?" Red yowled.

"And find something to cover this up," Cloud gripped the end of Red's tail, showing it to Tifa. She looked at it a moment, and a small smile appeared on her face.

"I think I can manage," she nodded. "Your belly scratches are at stake, Red. Be careful," she warned as the cat made to tear into Cloud's wrist. He froze with his jaws open, and then pulled back.

"I liked it better when you didn't have the ball and chain," Red groused irritably at Tifa. She smiled and kisses his nose.

"Let's move. Tseng, who do you suppose Rufus would bribe with an exotic pet over in Wutai?" Cloud called. The Turk contemplated this as he tapped his chin.

"You might try Taromaru himself, since he's heading the whole operation," suggested a voice uncannily familiar. "My uncle loves to sport his dangerous pets. They accompany him everywhere, as a sign of his ferocity and power."


	39. Familiar Face

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** Shunji just cracks me up. He's so cute!

Chapter 39: Familiar Face

Shunji looked between the surprised posse staring him down, examining him critically. He was nervous to be inspected so critically, but kept the amused smirk he'd always seen Yuffie use when she spoke to Cid on the phone. Crossing his arms, he leaned against the door frame, and slowly let the amusement become real as an older blond man's jaw dropped.

"You sure as hell ain't Yuffie, but damn…" he whistled up and down.

"This is Shunji," Marlene said, coming to stand beside him. She had let him make his impressions, as AVALANCHE soaked in his appearance for the first time. Marlene came around in front of him, curling some strands of hair around her finger.

"Marlene? What are you doin' here?" A thick bodied black man stood, staring Shunji down critically. "Don't you have school?"

"She came across me when I was trying to put on my camouflage as Yuffie," Shunji replied, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish smile. "I asked her to help out, catch anything I might have missed."

"It was kinda hard, especially since I haven't seen Yuffie since she got married," Marlene looked him up and down critically. She missed the slight intake of breath from the others, but Shunji did not. He cast his eyes around the room sharply, and more then a few faces turned away from him and he saw a younger blond and the only other woman in the room shuffle. They were responding now as if he were Yuffie. It was guilt and shame in their reactions.

"At least you have the humility to feel shame," Shunji shook his head, stepping through the door. The tension in the air grew. "So, I'm going to take you to my uncle?" Shunji asked, looking at the red cat. His one golden eye met Shunji's as his ears laid flat on his head and he looked partially hunched over.

"Shunji, huh? You must be practiced to mimic the Empress that well," smirked a man with thick black hair. He crossed his arms and looked the boy up and down, before shaking his head and laughing. "Impressive, Shunji."

"He is pretty good at it," Marlene agreed. More then one head cocked to one side, and the eyes went back to Shunji. Shunji fought to keep from laughing.

"_He_?" the older blond asked.

"Oh, yeah. Shunji is Yuffie's nephew," Marlene laughed innocently. The older blond and black man each jumped as if struck by a live wire, as the woman leaned in to examine him more closely. The cat lifted his head now, and then laughed.

"I'm not here to be admired. You can all do that with the original. She's been in sore need of a bit of affection," Shunji berated them, crossing his arms and leaning against the table with one hip. The old blond scooted two steps away. "How are you getting him to Wutai?"

"Wait, how is you going in looking like Yuffie going to help things?" the black pointed a large finger at him. Shunji stared up the accusatory limb and pushed it out of the way, setting his jaw for a fight.

"You were my test subjects. Apparently I look enough like my aunt for you to react to me as if I were her…for the most part." Shunji glanced between the two homophobes in the room. They looked away from him as if they would turn to stone. "Yuffie will get herself out of the dungeons in two shakes, and I'll draw the attention off of her, if you really must know."

"Hazardous to your health, isn't it?" the black demanded.

"Daddy," Marlene scrunched up her face.

"Yuffie taught me a thing or two about keeping out of the way. How do you think I snuck into the bar here without any of you noticing? The front door is way over there," he pointed, and a few things seemed to slide into place for the group of seasoned veterans. He was slightly disappointed by the members of his aunt's most beloved comrades.

"Okay, let's just…woah," the old blond shook his head, blinking a few times.

"I'll take care of you, and the rest of you can decide what you want to do," Shunji smiled, and reached out a hand to the feline. His nose twitched as warm air lightly tickled Shunji's palm. After a moment, the cat lowered his head and allowed Shunji to scratch behind his ears.

"Do I have to be striped?"

"What about blue? I always thought those blue guard cats the Shinra kept on hand were exotic. There haven't been any of those since the former President was assassinated," Shunji suggested.

"Blue doesn't sound too bad."

"Besides, with the proper accessories, we could turn this into a bit of ice, and you'd really never be suspected," Shunji nodded at the tail. The cat twitched it, and gazed at the fire.

"I don't know if I can handle that…"

"It'll be so cold it burns hotter then your average fire," Shunji promised.

"Let's go," the cat hopped off the table, and Shunji smiled.

"We'll be back."

"Shunji, I'll make you up a bed," Marlene called over the din that had arisen in the background. "Dinner's at six."

"We'll be home in time," he nodded. The cat slipped out the door Shunji opened for him, and they emerged into the streets of Edge. Shunji allowed himself a moment to appreciate the buildings around him, and the drizzling weather, smelling of exhaust and metal.

"Is this your first time in Edge?"

"I came a few times as a child. Usually Yuffie and I were engaged in guerrilla war throughout the fancy hotels or sneaking to the arcades. That was back before Meteor. I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name?"

"Nanaki, but you can call me Red."

"Red then."

"This way," the cat turned down a wide street, bustling with people. Shunji followed him, looking towards the monument built to remind citizens of Meteor. "I'm glad you're here to help Yuffie. She needs as much help as she can get."

"I should be saying that to you," Shunji smiled.

"It's not like we meant to fall away from her…" Red defended AVALANCHE softly.

"Life happens. I know. I'm acting like fate and trying to push you together again." Shunji opened the door to a small hair parlor, and Red slipped past him. The woman at the counter looked up, gave the cat a peculiar stare, and then smiled at Shunji.

"I'm sorry, pets should stay outside," she said, and Shunji shrugged.

"I just need a couple of things," he answered, selecting four bottles of bleach and royal blue hair dye. He also knocked a few conditioners and shampoos into the folds of one sleeve, and dumped the batch on the counter. Red leaped up and balanced his paws on the counter, watching the sales clerk ring up their goods.

"Are you dying a wooly mammoth with all of this?" she teased, and Shunji smiled.

"Just the house cat," he patted Red's head, scratching behind the ears. Red purred softly, as Shunji's mind ran through the delicate patterns that would look nice on sleek fur. He paid and the two left the shop again, returning to roll up their sleeves and get to work at Seventh Heaven.

Returning, the group was now arguing heatedly over what was to be done, and gave the cat and cross dresser a curious look when they returned.

"Is there a tub we can use?" Shunji asked.

"This way," Marlene called, hustling up the stairs. Shunji followed her.

"I hate baths…" Red grumbled.

"I'll even throw in a nice belly scratch," Shunji offered, and Red lifted his head, intrigued.

"That's his real weakness. Tifa could dress him up as a baby doll as long as he got a belly scratch," Marlene smiled.

"Whose side are you on?" Red demanded.

"In the tub, cat," Shunji instructed, emptying his purchases all over the floor. Marlene squatted down beside him, examining the color and smiling.

"Can I help?" she asked.

"As long as it doesn't jeopardize dinner."

"Let's not get into gender roles, shall we?" Marlene suggested with bookish superiority. Shunji snickered, his eyes twinkling. Red eyed the tub disdainfully, before leaping nimbly into the porcelain basin and seating himself.

"Consider yourself privileged. I don't strip myself of my dignity for just anyone," Red commented. Shunji rolled up his sleeves and leaned over the cat to turn on the water. The cat jumped and moved to the far side of the tub, looking like a beaten dog. Testing the water, Shunji adjusted it.

"Marlene, can you find some gloves? Our fingers are blue plenty often in Icicle Town."

"Way ahead of you." Marlene dangled them before his eyes. He fumbled with a shower head, and spritzed her. Squealing, Marlene giggled and danced away as Red cringed.

"Oops, clumsy me. Now, come here cat."

Red inched closer with his ears laid back. Shunji slid his fingers into Red's coat and gently began to rain warm water down on him. Marlene joined him, scrubbing her friend affectionately.

"What a good kitty," Marlene cooed. "You're so brave, such a good kitty cat, you handsome devil you."

"Please, don't gush at me. This is humiliating enough." Red looked up at her miserably, a distinct cry for help if Shunji had ever seen one. Marlene smiled and gave him a kiss on the snout.

"You're such a brave boy, yes you are! Yes you are!" she continued mockingly. Red sighed, and reached up with both wet paws. He wrapped them around Marlene and pulled her into the tub, where she landed with a wet splat and a giggle.

"What a pretty girl, oh yes you are! Such a pretty, pretty girl," Shunji gushed at her, drenching her soft hair and running his fingers through it as he had formerly been doing to Red. She squealed and giggled, trying to get away.

"Don't push your luck with old people. You know I'm around Cid's age," Red warned.

"Which is like my age in your lifetime," Marlene rolled her eyes. She untangled herself from Red's paws, and sat on her knees in the tub, until Red was completely wet.

The merriment in the hair salon bathroom didn't miss the arguing happening below, but ignored it and continued in bliss in their steamy world. Only Shunji was aware of the smiling young man who leaned against the wall outside, listening to their idle banter and witticisms.

"How's it going?" he heard the woman ask softly.

"I forgot how lively Yuffie is…seeing that boy in here with her face is like remembering what spring looks like," the man replied. "Let's not mess up once we get her back."

Yuffie was in good hands.


	40. Purgatory

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** This is the beginning of my favorite chapters! There's a little knot of them, being "Purgatory," "Escape," and "Duty and Love." They're spread out, so it's not really a knot, but mwa ha ha! I have wetted your appetite! Tune in! Review! I'm road-trip-long-day-in-the-car-happy. Please excuse. PS - two thirds done!

Chapter 40: Purgatory

"Goddamn five star treatment," a woman wheezed gruffly. Reno had opened his eyes at the sound of a body striking the cold stone floor. He couldn't bring himself to move, or even speak, but he knew the voice. She was in the cell across the way. He wetted his swollen and split lips with a cottony tongue, and tried out his voice. It came out a dry, rattling wheeze, but he'd at least made some sort of grating sound similar to a voice. After another few tries, he had something.

"Fancy meeting you here," he said at length, his voice coming in and out.

"Who's there?" she demanded, coming towards the bars of her cell. Reno smiled at he silhouette, his eyes almost too swollen to see out of.

"You're a sight for sore eyes," he commented.

"Reno?" Yuffie breathed.

"Yo," he huffed laughter, feeling the ache all up and down his spine. "When'd you get here?"

"Reno! Are you alright? My God, what have they done to you?" Yuffie wrestled with the bars holding her back, and pulled something out of her teeth. Silver flashed in the poor light hanging between them. He heard the distinct argument of a lock and pick, before the bars sighed open. She came through into the light and frowned at his lock, dismembering it as easily as the first. In another moment, her warm hands were on his cold face. "Jesus…how long have you been here?"

"Tore Doujima up onna fifth…when's it now?" Reno gave her a painful smile. Her rough hands felt wonderful against his skin.

"Three weeks of this hell?" Yuffie shuddered, gently assessing his damages. "You're in pretty bad, buddy." Reno thought he heard a thread of fear in her voice. He gave her his incorrigible smile. "Christ all mighty…at least your legs are in tact. Do you think you could stand?"

"Ain't likely. You got any cigs?"

"I'll buy you a whole carton of cancer sticks when we get outta here. And a really shiny lighter," Yuffie promised, her fingers ghosting along his legs, checking them.

"Don't be stupid," Reno scoffed. "You're free. Get the hell out."

"I'm not leaving you," her eyes glimmered at him with ferocious determination. He smiled into them, knowing full well what his odds of escape were. Hers would be nil if she dragged him after her.

"Why're you so stupid?" he demanded. Yuffie smiled now.

"I'm the idealist."

"Siddown and think this through," Reno sighed, and summoning all of his effort, he carefully closed his sore hands around her arms, tugging lightly at her. She sat next to him, and fit perfectly against his side. Sitting this close to a human again was nice, and Reno's fingers tightened a little around one of her arms, pulling her minutely closer. She was warm, and she didn't have the same dank, musty smell of blood and torture yet. He leaned his head against hers. She was so warm that steam should have been coming off of her. Life rekindled in his skin again, and he was aware of the biting cold.

"You're like ice," Yuffie took his hands and pressed them between hers, bringing them to her lips and blowing warm air onto them.

"Flirt," Reno rasped.

"Only around you." Yuffie gripped his hands a little tighter. Reno felt a bit of real happiness touch him.

"What's your plan?" he changed the subject.

"Get out of here, get my sons, and assassinate my sibling." The way she said it all so certainly was a little startling. Reno was quiet.

"You shoulda been a Turk," he said at length. "They have your sons, you know…"

"I figured that out when Doujima claimed I'd sent you to assassinate her," Yuffie growled. She rubbed his cold hands absently. Reno was glad he couldn't see the expression on her face, because the spasm that went through her body said she was angry.

"Wait, Doujima said I was sent to assassinate her, by _you?_" Reno demanded, his mind screeching to a halt. Yuffie nodded, and Reno felt life surge through his body. "I shoulda killed her…I shoulda cut out her fucking tongue!" Reno snarled. "I knew she'd taken your kids, that's why I tore her to pieces!"

"You knew?" Yuffie demanded, alarmed.

"I busted up my phone so Tennouji couldn't take it when they set me up. I was able to at least hack the controls in the copter I took over there." Vigor and anger gave him the strength to speak again. "It was Shinra issued, and I told Tseng. I wanted to contact you, but I couldn't figure out how to do it. Those WRO lines are nigh untraceable."

"What happened to Elena and Rude?"

"Not sure," Reno swallowed, feeling like there was sand in his mouth. "They're supposed to be released…don't have any real idea."

"You idiots got in big shit for stickin' it out with me," Yuffie sighed. Reno gave her a crooked grin.

"When we get outta here, I get a carton of cigs _and_ an expensive dinner. And you have to wear a flashy dress. Something shiny."

"Don't push it," Yuffie admonished.

"So, how are we escapin'?"

"I'll be back in a grand total of three minutes. You stay locked in here, and if anyone comes, play dead." Yuffie slipped out of his arms faster then he'd given her credit for. He let her go, and then concentrated on moving. He hadn't been lying when he'd said the prospects of his escape weren't good.

Even trying to sit up made every bone in his body shriek in unjustifiable pain. He closed his eyes and moaned, glad Yuffie was gone as he really decided if he could accompany her. Drawing shaky breaths, he tried again, forcing his back and stomach to cooperate and have him get off of the wall. In agonizing slowness, he found himself supporting his own weight in a sitting position.

"Well, phase one of re-animation complete," he sighed, and tested the breadth of movement in his arms. The pain was killing him. Three weeks of torture were doggedly keeping him down, and he didn't know what to do to make it stop.

"Don't know if I can do it," Reno smiled up at Yuffie, who had reappeared before him. She rolled her eyes.

"Did you think I was an idiot?" Yuffie demanded. "You couldn't even pull me down with the help of gravity. Even a blundering idiot could see that you're in too much pain to stand. I'm impressed you managed to sit up on your own."

"Oh yeah?" Reno smiled at her. She had found her conformer, and had a satchel full of goodies. She plopped down in front of him, rooting through the bag, and came out with a syringe.

"How are you on stimulants?" she asked. Reno gave her a wary look. "I had to do this once when I was in the WRO. I got in a tight spot and had to pump myself up…I was in the hospital for about a month after that, but I got out. Do you trust me enough to take the same chance?"

"What're we gonna do about the hostages?" Reno asked, eyeing the syringe full of clear liquid. Yuffie squirted just a little out of the end to be rid of any air. Reno was already complying by providing his arm.

"See, if I wasn't a mother, I wouldn't be sure. But since they have my children, I intend to twist a few answers out of our generous host, miss Border Moon. Have they taken you to the Phoenix Room?"

Reno shut his jaw and only nodded once. The muscles in his temples leapt out, and Yuffie leaned forward, placing her forehead against his. She looked into his eyes, both of her hands on his shoulders.

"I'll make her pay," she said softly. Reno searched her eyes, feeling uncharacteristic shame and despair in his memories of that horrible, gold gilt room. His insides recoiled. "Shh, now's not the time. Let's get out of here, okay?" Yuffie held him briefly, and Reno breathed in the smell of her, stamping down his memories and tears. She pulled back too quickly, and Reno swallowed hard, locking eyes with her. "You ready to get outta here?"

"Yeah," he nodded. Yuffie pulled his arm out and pushed the needle under his dirty skin, her brow furrowing in concentration. Reno watched in morose fascination as the clear liquid was injected into him, and took a steadying breath. He'd done this too a couple of times, and had even had a bit of a habit as a kid. It brought back uncomfortable memories, of times when he was weaker. The thought that Yuffie had been forced to do this to herself before was sobering and saddening at the same time, however. Yuffie had always seemed innocent, but then, he'd never really _run_ with her. He doubted even most of AVALANCHE had really _run_ with her.

Yuffie pulled the syringe out and pressed her hand down over his exposed skin. He felt the distinct affects of a high level cure magic, and saw the translucent glow of Materia in her conformer. He immediately felt like his existence was tolerable, and Yuffie held onto him until he felt the stimulants kick in. When it did, he lifted his eyes to meet hers, and she helped him up.

"Well, what happens now?" Reno asked as she handed him a canteen of water.

"You think you can bust a few faces?" Yuffie asked, looking him over severely.

"Sure," he nodded.

"Great," she handed him the nightstick she'd had made for him by Reeve. Reno took a few practice swings, and smiled. "You're pretty technologically savvy, right?"

"Mm hmm,"

"There's a surveillance room. We're going to take that sucker, hack it to pieces, and send the mince meat to my brother Nayuta," she replied. "We'll also find Border Moon and put her through her paces in the Phoenix Room. I assume you know some convincing tactics for getting someone to talk." Yuffie rubbed her hands together, a wild look in her eye. Reno contemplated her, then leaned forward and put his cheek against hers.

"Turk," he said with some relished amusement.

"Mother," Yuffie corrected. "Come on, let's get moving." Yuffie hiked her bag onto her shoulder, and headed out. Reno followed on slightly shaky legs, following her out of the maze of moaning and tortured souls. He caught the pitying look Yuffie had on her face, but didn't say anything.

They emerged through a sliding panel into the manicured hallway of a pleasure house. Reno could hear giggling girls and laughing men, and smelled perfume and sake. Reno had been in his fair share of these places, but the thought of coming out of a torture chamber and into a pleasure house turned his guts and made him laugh all at once.

"They should call this place Heaven and Hell," he smiled to Yuffie.

"Purgatory," she corrected. "The place is called Purgatory." She looked around, and then crossed the hallway with her bare feet and jumped. Her fingers caught in a grate above her, and she shimmied and finagled a bit until the grate came out. She landed soundlessly, a feat Reno decided he needed to learn, and then jumped again.

In the light, she was filthy and covered in her own drying blood and smears of dirt and grime. Her hair was a mess, bound in a ratty ponytail, while there were bruises all over her. She hardly looked like an empress, not even a tortured one with her earthy, masculine clothing. Still, Reno found himself appreciating the absurdity of his situation and unexpected ally. Yuffie had pulled herself gracefully into the vent, and her hand shot down, offering assistance to him.

Not to be outdone, the Turk came below and jumped. His fingers caught on the ledge, and Yuffie helped to haul his weakened frame up by grabbing the scruff of his tattered shirt. He wriggled in after her and she pulled the grate back in place, securing it with a few paper clips.

"Where the hell do you come up with all of this stuff?"

"I'm so magnetic," she answered playfully, crawling in one direction. Reno followed her, feeling the dirt and grit build up on his hands and knees. They seemed to crawl forever, very quietly, moving slowly, to keep from alerting anyone. Reno really wanted to comment about the view, and wished she still wore those wonderfully tiny shorts, but kept the words locked away for later teasing. Damn it was good to be out of that basement!

Yuffie stopped so suddenly he ended up head butting her backside. She shot him an irritated look, and peered down into the grate before her. Reno wanted to squirm either under or around her so he could see too, but decided that as wonderful as it would be to rub up against her, they would make too much noise.

"What do you mean they're gone?" demanded a woman.

"I mean they're gone! We can't find them!" a man answered feverishly.

"Alert Taromaru immediately! I want this place turned inside out! But don't disrupt the guests!" That was Border Moon's voice. Reno couldn't mistake it, not for anything. Yuffie continued crawling a little ways, and turned around to face Reno at a four way intersection. She kicked up some dust, and pulled Reno close.

"The control room is up ahead," she whispered in an infinitesimal voice. Reno strained to catch the words. "I'll go cut the phone wires," she added. Her little form squirmed away so fast Reno didn't think he believed that she'd just been there. He kept moving forward, and spied the surveillance room below. He had to take out the guards inside quickly and quietly before Yuffie was spotted snipping the power lines. Reno eased the grate open, and then began to quietly climb down.

"What the?" the guard leaned forward, and Reno's heart stopped. He followed the guard's line of vision to another screen, and saw a dirty Yuffie pop out of the side of the building into the snow. Damn! How had she gotten so far so fast? Reno dropped into the room and bludgeoned the man with his nightstick.

He tumbled forward, probably dead if the amount of blood was any indication. Reno pulled him out of the way and sat down at the cameras. He pulled the dead man's headset free and stuck it on his head, glad that Yuffie had given him the easy job. Stimulants and cure spell aside, he didn't have it in him for a real scrap. The guards were all jabbering away, searching for he and Yuffie.

"What was that Wakure?" demanded one of the guards, and glancing at the man Reno had just killed, he realized the question was directed at him.

"Sorry. Spilled my coffee," he muttered softly, hoping no one would catch his accent.

"I told you to quit drinkin' that stuff on duty! You'll mess up the controls!" the other man sighed. Reno smirked. He cracked his knuckles and set his fingers on the keyboard lightly. Now, to find out where Yuffie's children and the other Turks were, as well as get a message across to Tseng.


	41. On My Way

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **About time things came to a head for these two hard heads!!!!

Chapter 41: On My Way

"What's the news?" Vincent demanded, settled in the shadows of one of Wutai's sprawling markets. The choking smell of life was all around him, laced with smoke and cheap perfume and whisky, as music thundered and men stumbled between beautifully pressed and overly painted women. He had been hunting high and low for Yuffie since he'd arrived, and found that he couldn't find her. She had been imprisoned shortly after his arrival, tried, and even shipped off until her execution date. The whole country was in an uproar, and he was _frightened_ that he would be too late to save her.

"Tseng's systems have been hacked into by Reno," Shelk answered, and he could hear her fingers working a mile a minute. "He's uploading us information about where they are. It's in your city, a place called Purgatory." Vincent scanned the area around him, getting his bearings. "You're across town," Shelk provided. "Reno's got the control room, and Yuffie's cutting down communications. Their target is Border Moon. I'll contact you again later."

Vincent hung up at the same time Shelk did. He recalled Omega, and hoped he'd never have to work like this again. The uncertainty and fear knotting in his chest was unhealthy. Vincent made short work of the slums' catacombs, and came out to the street. He hailed a taxi.

"I'll pay you double if you can get me to the Purgatory in half an hour," he said, and the cabbie gave him a toothy grin. The boy jammed on the accelerator, and sped off into the teeming traffic. Vincent had to hang on, for fear that he'd die, and almost gasped a few times when the boy almost flew through some of the palanquins.

When he was sure the boy was reckless but not insane, Vincent sat back and meditated on what he would do. When he got there, passing himself off as a guest was simply absurd. He would have to sneak in, and with Shelk's information, that would probably be easy enough. Everything was simple, up until the point where he would encounter Yuffie…

No, it was straightforward. He would go in, rescue she and Reno, and leave. _Then_ he could be overcome by this and that emotion, and humble himself before his old friend…assuming she would still even look at him. Should he be concerned about her temper or her reaction? Well, that would have to come as it would.

"Shelk," he answered immediately as the phone buzzed.

"I'm uploading the layout now," Shelk informed him.

"Can you tell what's happening?"

"Reno got us the images. It looks like Yuffie is just finishing up cutting off communications with the outside world, and Reno has been able to hinder the search party affectively. I'll contact you if there are new developments."

Vincent went through the floor plan, scanning the images on his phone. He memorized it, examining all entrances and the intricate layout of the ceilings and air ducts. It was a massive complex.

The boy slammed on the breaks and fishtailed around a corner. Vincent was almost thrown out the other window, and he quickly pulled his seatbelt on. He glanced over his shoulder for police, but there were no flashing lights.

"City security is lax with so many out to fight the war," the boy smiled into his rearview mirror. Vincent only gave him a stiff nod. He grit his teeth, wishing he were already there.

A building before them burst into flames and tumbled into the street. The boy screamed and slammed on the breaks, turning hard. They spun out of control, and Vincent claws at his seat, working to free himself of the seatbelt as they hurtled towards the burning wreckage. Leaning forward, he gripped the boy with his metal arm and then flung both of them out the windshield, rolling to one side as the car skittered into the carnage. It exploded, as more buildings erupted in flames around them.

Vincent pulled himself and the cabbie behind some cover, looking over the slab of wall to see what was happening. People were scurrying like ants, blats of magic and gunfire sounding, as metal flashed about. He saw the distinctly different patterns of soldiers, and the surge of civilians fleeing the scene. The cabbie moaned, shaking glass bits out of his hair, and peering at the scene with morose fascination.

"No! They've gotten here!" he winced as another building near them exploded. This was definitely no good. Vincent pulled out his phone.

"Shelk! Tell me what's happening?" Vincent demanded.

"Attack on the city…" Shelk said absently, her attention wholly on the computer.

"Run. Get out of here," Vincent instructed of the cabbie, pushing money into his palms. The boy gave him a frightened smile, and took off into the maze of the city streets.

"Head east," Shelk instructed. "I don't know if you can make it in time now," she added cautiously. Vincent ignored her statement and took off, tearing through the rubble and scraps all over the city. His feet pounded hard against the ground, and eventually he took to rooftops. "Vince…" Shelk stopped giving him directions. "Vince! Stop! Stop right now!"

He screeched to a halt, looking for trouble. The city was burning everywhere, and he could see strife in the streets. A nearby house exploded, and he raised a hand to ward off shrapnel. A chain of explosions began after that, beginning at the central pagoda, where the city's governor would have lived. From there, it spread in all the cardinal directions. Vincent stood dumbfounded, watching the torrents of fire claiming the city.

Screams were in the air, along with shouts and gunfire. Vincent could smell charred wood and flesh, and the smoke was getting in his eyes and lungs. The fires were rapidly spreading, and if he weren't careful, he'd be consumed in them himself. He could see the city's pleasure district rising in the distance, and the fires were moving towards it. He had to get to Yuffie, especially in this mess.

"Shelk, how can I get there?" he asked her calmly. His heart was hammering. Shelk was quietly focused on finding him a path.

"Go back west. Head for the main pagoda, and go south east from there…if you're fast enough, you might be able to get through." He nodded, and was about to hang up. "Vincent," Shelk stopped him. "Be careful. Remember you have a life to live too."

"Don't worry about me," he said soothingly. "Someone told me once that I didn't have to worry about dying. The first two letters of my first and last name spell 'viva.'" Vincent couldn't help it. He smiled, and felt Yuffie's indomitable spirit fill him with determination and hope.

"You've gone soft," Shelk said, shaky amusement and tears in her voice.

"You're my eyes, Shelk," he said, and hung up. Renewed, he proceeded towards the main pagoda.


	42. Escape

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Yes, this is one of my favorite chapters!

Chapter 42: Escape

"Three seconds," Yuffie said, holding up her fingers. The city was burning, and they had precious little time to play this game with Border Moon. The ageless woman only smiled up at her, and Yuffie sighed. She sliced the ear off, and looked at the wailing, laughing woman pointedly.

"Here, this might help." Reno's arm jerked and the woman really shrieked. A thick needle jutted from her lower back, situated between the vertebra. "You're really too clean about this pain thing," Reno criticized Yuffie, looking at her earnestly. "She was hardly this nice to you."

"I don't have the time to do the things she did to me,"

"Yeah, me neither…or the anatomy…" Reno trailed off, and Yuffie reached out and took his hand without thinking. Reno didn't say anything, just let her fingers lace with his. Border Moon was panting, and Reno proceeded to pound more needles between her joints. Yuffie winced as he took his hand away from hers and rolled up his sleeves, and began doing things to this woman that made her stomach curl. She wanted to turn away from the grim delight Reno was taking in this.

"So, you aren't much of a talker. Usually I like that in a woman," Reno was saying. Yuffie glanced at the small dot of blood on his arm. The stimulants wouldn't last much longer, and neither would their wooden prison. "But I really need to know what you know about where the kiddies and my buds are."

"I'll be killed…" the woman rasped.

"News flash, I'm doing that for him. I'll even just slice you open when I get what I want."

Yuffie smelled the timbers beginning to heat up. They were underground too. Her hand tightened around the bloody conformer. She and Reno had had quite the war in here on their own.

"Never!"

"Look, I promise to make his death even more painful. He's a he, after all," Reno said nonchalantly as he sawed through tendons in her ankles. She cried out, her face raw, voice aching. "I'll just keep going until I hear something lady."

"No! No!" she wept.

"Loyalty huh? You're an idiot. You know the city's burning, right? He wasn't even going to spare your city. Pretty shitty. I'd want him done in, but maybe I'm just vindictive. What do you think?" Reno reached for her wrists.

"A man could never have such power over a courtesan," Border Moon hissed, and Reno paused. He lifted a brow.

"Hey, I don't mind if you swing that way. Who're you hiding?"

"You're not worried about your children?" she looked at Yuffie.

"They're burning the city, and no one knows we've escaped," Yuffie replied. "If you die, all the better."

"They're with Taromaru," she said softly. Reno lowered the knife, and lit one of her cigarettes. He gave her a pull, and she smiled bitterly. "He's not the one I'm afraid of. He's easy to manipulate with the right bait."

"Is it Asa?" Yuffie asked. Border Moon shook her head, staring glassy eyed at the ceiling.

"Asa's an easy woman to black mail."

"Mm, I know," Yuffie agreed. The courtesan burbled laughter.

"Think very carefully on your allies, Empress. You might be surprised at the festering in your own home."

"Nothing cryptic please," Reno cut open her wrist messily, pulling and breaking tendons. Her left palm went lax and her eyes rolled back in pain.

"Worry about your brother Shuya. He's in the most danger. She's a mad woman…what an ugly dogma she follows."

Reno tried gouging more pieces of the woman apart, but she was apparently beyond feeling it. The house was beginning to smoke, and Yuffie looked meaningfully at Reno. All the while, her mind was whirring. Shuya and his wife Miho were safely hidden, far away. Who was 'she'?

"Enjoy it," Reno smiled, cutting Border Moon loose and giving her a cigarette after sitting her up. She smoked it with a dazed expression. The Turk and Empress headed for the door, leaving behind the shimmering Phoenix Room in all its glory. The ornate devices of torture, painted in murals, and the detailed knives and tools of the trade were all in place, and the red and gold carvings of birds on the walls were magnificent. Still, Yuffie would be glad when it burned to the ground, taking Border Moon with it.

"I'll send my son your regards, Turk!" Border Moon called after them. "And I hope you rot in hell, Empress! You'll get your just deserts!"

"He was a mama's boy!" Reno called back, taking the stairs two at a time. His hand caught Yuffie's, and they ran together up the stairs, into the burning mansion. "I got everything I could to Tseng and that hacker girl," he said over the roar of flames. They looked around the smoldering hallway for a way out. Yuffie took the lead, more familiar with the halls. She didn't let go of Reno. "I told them to get it to your brother!" They dodged a falling timber and turned a corner. A wall of flame met them. Sweat was pouring down Yuffie, and she pulled Reno along after her in another direction.

"Fuck!" he cried as his knees buckled and he doubled over. He looked up at her, the fire throwing odd expressions onto his wry smile. "Get outta here…I'm done…" he wheezed, his body beginning to shiver. He pulled his hand away.

"Get up, idiot!" Yuffie shouted, dropping to her knees beside him. He shook his head.

"I-I can't even move," he answered. Yuffie was close to tears, and gripped his shoulders.

"Get on your fucking feet!" she snarled, and he gave her a forlorn smile.

"Go on, pretty. You got kids to worry 'bout," he instructed.

"Yeah. One of 'em's a Yakuza punk," she rolled her eyes, blinking away tears. Turning around, she slid underneath him.

"Now ain't the time or place, doll," Reno tried to joke, but he was obviously concerned.

"Shut up!" Yuffie took a deep breath, and then heaved him up onto her back, struggling to stand. She staggered beneath his weight, every exhausted muscle in her body crying out. She wouldn't leave him, she resolved, taking the back of his knees and pulling his legs onto her hips.

"You're crazy!" Reno argued, but wasn't even strong enough to struggle. Yuffie ignored him, and trudged forward. "You're fucking nuts." Reno's bearded cheek brushed against hers. Yuffie grunted and continued forward, moving as fast as she could and thinking fast.

The front door was entirely consumed, and it wasn't looking good. They could probably still make it out a window, but Yuffie didn't know what it was like out there. She flinched away from an explosion, and trudge forward. She recalled suddenly that the pleasure district had its own moat, fed from a north flowing river. The Purgatory had about a thirty-foot drop directly to the moat. She thanked her forbearers for being so greedy in their pursuit to perfect the otherworldliness of the concubines.

Turning around, she managed to weasel her way through main hallways, burning rooms, and collapsing secret passages to a teetering balcony. She stumbled onto it, her legs licked by flames, the weight of Reno pressing down on her shoulders. The sky was black with smoke, the daylight completely covered, as ash fell with the snow. Red haze was in the air. Looking over the railing, she wondered how to get down, and found her problem solved as the balcony collapsed on its own, sending them plummeting. She held fast to Reno, hoping for the best, and felt the water greet them hungrily. Reno slipped away from her.

Yuffie was almost too tired, but not quite. She swam deeper after him, and dragged him back up to the surface. They sputtered together, coughing, and Yuffie hugged Reno, keeping both of them afloat. He made feeble attempts to help.

"You're brilliant," Reno chuckled.

"It's not my fault you can't double as a parachute," she laughed back, and began paddling towards some of the wood from the balcony. An explosion over them shattered glass, and sent in raining down on them. Yuffie winced as a few shards sliced into her shoulder, and Reno muttered a muffled oomph, but they were otherwise unharmed. "Let's get the hell outta here," she suggested, draping him over the driftwood with her. He smiled over at her, exhausted.

"You're fucking incredible," he said, his mako eyes gleaming. Yuffie blushed, and put her arm around him, to keep him from sinking. She had no response. Instead, she kicked her legs and guided them along the current, hoping they'd come to the river soon, and praying there weren't too many rapids.


	43. Painful Reality

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N : **...Ouch...

Chapter 43: Painful Reality

Vincent toed the ashen pile that had been the Purgatory. He scanned the smoldering ruins, looking at the collapsed and caving building. His heart was racing. He hurried into the smoldering wreckage and began pulling the planks away, trying and hoping he failed to dig Yuffie up.

The heat began to burn through his glove, but he ignored it. He kept pulling, throwing ashen wood about, until the leather on his hand had burned away completely, and his naked palm burned against a melted iron pole. He winced, and jerked his hand back. A little startled that the glove was gone, he looked at the reddened skin. How long had it been since he'd touched anything with his skin?

His phone was ringing. He hesitated a moment, heard the line go dead. Every piece of him wished that it was Yuffie calling, and knew it wouldn't be. Why, after five years, would she call now? Why after he had abandoned her? And now, was it too late forever? The phone began ringing again. On his knees and almost brought to tears, he reached into his pocket and withdrew it. The plastic made his aggravated skin tingle.

"Vincent! What's wrong? Why didn't you answer?" Shelk demanded, anger and fear in her voice.

"Do you know where Yuffie is?" he asked.

"No," she replied. A growl escaped from Vincent, and he began yanking up planks again with his metal arm. "But footage did show both Reno and Yuffie escaping. They were right around the front door when the surveillance went under. They had five minutes to get out after that."

Vincent took a few steadying breaths, and leaned back. With that kind of time, Yuffie must have worked a miracle. The woman was a weasel, and given even an inch, she could get a mile.

"I'm going to search the area,"

"No! You need to get out!" Shelk snapped at him. "If Yuffie could get out of a burning building, she should be fine maneuvering out of the city. They have a bit of a lead on you anyway. You need to get yourself out before the fires or fighting catch you."

"I can't just leave her here," Vincent argued.

"She's managed for five years without you already!" Shelk snarled, and Vincent's heart gave a lurch. "You need to stay alive now long enough to apologize to her! And to come home!" Shelk's voice almost broke. There was silence between them, and Vincent stood up at length.

"Understood," was all he said. Shelk's voice hitched, and it took her a moment again to catch it.

"Based on the information we got, I would start helping Yuffie by looking for her children. What better place to start then with Taromaru himself?" she suggested. "Head west to get to his province. Shunji and Red will be there to help you."

"Ma'am," Vincent closed the phone.


	44. Disillusionment

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Aw...poor, poor, Doujima...(giggle).

Chapter 44: Disillusionment

"How are you doing?"

Doujima opened her eyes and saw her lover leaning over her. There was concern in his face, and his smooth brow was wrinkled. She smiled up at him, and took a pained breath.

"I'm fine. Much better now that you're here."

Kale reached out and took her hand, his fingers brushing over her palm. It had been a long and rocky road to recovery, but the doctors said she would be alright in the end. Lots of scaring and quite a bit of rehab, but she would come out not much worse for the wear. He bent and kissed her head.

"How are the children doing?" he queried.

"They didn't see a thing. That brute was at least so good as to spare them," she sighed.

"And…_her_ children?"

Doujima had been wondering what to tell him about Yuffie's children. She couldn't very well say the man had run off with them, seeing as he'd been caught, and _willingly_ to boot. Taromaru had been her decided scapegoat.

"Taromaru has the children…he's been waiting to reveal that they're missing…" she whispered. Kale tensed.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, fear rising in his voice.

"He said he'd kill them if you found out prematurely!" she answered, her eyes wide. "He took them right after that horrible man tried to kill me, during all the confusion!"

"You should have said something!" Kale stood up and turned away from her, standing facing the window. "Why? Why did you wait? Doujima, they're mine too." His voice sounded heavy with grief, and Doujima's heart gave a twist and a jerk. She didn't like hurting him.

"Papa?" their oldest daughter asked, coming into the room.

"Sakura, mommy and daddy are talking right now," Doujima said softly. Sakura looked at her mother and frowned, looking distressed. Her small fists clutched a boy's jacket, one patterned with large fish.

"Papa, have you brought home Hokuto?" she asked, and he turned to look at her quizzically.

"Sakura," Doujima chided a bit more forcefully. Kale bent and opened his arms to her.

"No, I haven't brought Hokuto back yet…" Kale answered softly, folding her against his chest.

"He gave me his jacket in the rain," Sakura frowned, hugging the cloth tighter. "He hasn't come home since before mama came here." Her earnest eyes looked up at her father, and Doujima's heart froze. Kale's whole body seemed to go rigid.

"What?" he asked.

"How much longer do I have to wait? I thought maybe he would be with you," Sakura sniffled. Kale stood up and collected his daughter, opening the door to Doujima's room. He called to a nurse, and kissed his daughter.

"Hold onto his jacket, Sakura. I'll find your brother," he promised. When the child had gone, he turned to Doujima with a look that froze her blood. "They weren't taken, were they?" he stated more then asked. Doujima pressed her lips into a thin line, and said nothing. Kale lifted a hand to his face. He was shaking.

"What a fool I am," he said softly, and when he removed his hand, there were tears in his eyes. "I had my wife executed for a crime she didn't commit, didn't I?"

"I did it for you!" Doujima cried out.

"Why? I never wanted her gone! I never wanted my sons sold off to the enemy! I trusted you _most of all_!" His voice cracked, and tears tumbled down his cheeks. "You _betrayed_ me! How could you do that to her? How could I be so blind?" Kale turned away, and his shoulders were quaking. Doujima yanked herself to her unsteady feet, and tumbled to the floor. She clawed across it, and climbed up him so that she could hold him.

"Because I couldn't stand the thought of sharing you," she whispered. "I want all of you! You shouldn't have to marry that shrew! I love you, you have a family with me!" she wept.

"And so you plotted her murder, and quite possibly that of her sons?" he shouted at her, turning and grabbing her shoulders. "What were you _thinking_?" He shook her so hard her vision blurred and colors lanced through her eyes. She'd never seen the look of rage and betrayal on his face before, and it killed her. Kale dropped her suddenly. "I need to contact Nayuta…oh Da Chao, how could I have been so blind. Yuffie! Pull me down to Hell! Forgive me!" he turned and left the room, slamming the door.

Doujima sobbed on the hard floor, and felt hatred swell in her. She hated Yuffie, the beginning of all her problems. Her hatred extended to Hokuto and Mitsuru, and even into her innocent daughter, little Sakura. If Sakura hadn't been fraternizing with the enemy, this wouldn't have happened. She should never have agreed to take Yuffie's children. Ultimately, Doujima hated herself. She felt sick…what had she done to another woman? What had she done to her Kale?


	45. Reflections

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

Chapter 45: Reflections

Shunji had nodded. His father was right. Even if Yuffie was…even if Yuffie was gone, they needed to keep her alive. Rumors had to be circulated, if only to keep the rebels on edge. The boy knotted his fingers, and took a deep breath. He slid on his game face, as Yuffie had taught him to do, and opened his eyes, determined to convince his enemies that he was in deed the Empress.

"Citizens of Wutai," he addressed the audience. Reeve, of the WRO, had made him a voice modifier, which was tucked away in his cheek. He sounded exactly like his aunt. The cameras glared into his face, and he sat regally, his chin lifted. Kale stood with bloodshot eyes behind the filming, writhing with self-loathing. He had come to Nayuta and Shunji in despair, begging only time enough to finish the war, and then he would himself go to justice for his deed. It was supposed that Yuffie was lost in the burning of the city Taiben, which had been utterly destroyed in the war conflicts. The public didn't need to know that, however.

"It's been a long road, and there's more to accomplish yet. Too many of us are dying over this squabble for the crown." As Shunji spoke, the jitters began to work out of him. He had watched Yuffie speak so often and played at mimicking her motions for so many years that it was sliding into place marvelously. "I'm asking you to hold together just a little longer. We will end this conflict, and deal accordingly with those who would destroy our peace. Hasn't Wutai bled enough? Isn't it our turn to rest?"

He proceeded through the rest of the speech, and only relaxed when the cameras shut off. He didn't break down until he was safely out of the way, in a back room with his father. When he have a moment to be Shunji, he broke down, sobbing. His father, not sure how to console him, awkwardly put a hand on his son's shoulder. Shunji turned to him, sobbing into his chest.

"How could she be dead?" he demanded hoarsely. "She can't be!"

"I don't think she is, but listen to me, Shunji. Your job now is to keep attention away from the real her!" Nayuta shook him, and Shunji looked up. He was so frightened. "You are the only one who can really protect her, Shunji. You're her face and her shield. You're the face of Wutai. You have to take up this burden!"

"I just want to see her again! I just want it to go back to the days before she was married! The old days, before I knew what the hell I was, before she had to throw away her life!" Shunji wept, unable to control himself. He'd been next to tears for a long time now. Nayuta gazed at him gravely, and gave in, deciding to treat Shunji like a daughter. He hugged his son, and petted his hair.

"Shunji, it's going to be alright," he promised. "We'll get our Yuffie back. Things will go back to the days without Kale, without Doujima. I swear to you, I'll take them out…I had been planning on it before this war started…"

"What?" Shunji looked up, wide-eyed.

"I had been plotting an assassination of Kale, to be honest," Nayuta sighed, feeling his age. Shunji's knees almost buckled, and father and son sat down together. "She wasn't happy…it was the only way I could think of. This though, this will get them gone. They won't be here any more…you won't tell Yuffie, will you?"

"You were going to have them killed?" Shunji whispered. Nayuta nodded in shame.

"This saves me that great sin, doesn't it?" he gave his son a weak smile. "None of us are perfect, Shunji. I've always been hard on you, and it always takes the most brutal of awakenings for me to finally see what's happening around me. I've always thought I could make everything better, but I've never had the power. I wanted my little sister to be happy, I wanted to take pride in the prowess of my oldest son, I wanted to _take over_ where my father left off with his family. I made a mess of us, you and I, and I was about to make a mess of Yuffie."

"Why are you telling me this?" Shunji frowned. "Why are you confessing what you could have just covered up?"

"Because I haven't seen you in years, and because…I'm scared," Nayuta looked at his son, really looking at him. He was beautiful, the spitting image of Yuffie. And while Nayuta had always faulted this for weakness, it was not so. He had seen Shunji's strength as he drew attention to himself in Yuffie's place. Shunji knew that all attempts would now be made on his life, and he had not backed down. "I'm frightened that I can't make it right, and I need now to turn to my oldest, my strongest child."

Shunji and Nayuta sat staring at each other for a long time. They both took a few breaths, before Shunji shook his head, and dabbed at his running makeup.

"I never thought you would ever say you weren't strong enough," Shunji said around a sniffle. Nayuta smiled.

"Father's are always supposed to be unyielding. Ours taught us never to depend on anyone. I didn't want that to be the case with Yuffie, the heir, who he was the hardest on. I completely overlooked my own family."

"Maybe I should always dress as Yuffie. This is some sweet vengeance," Shunji teased, smiling. Nayuta chuckled, and the pair of them leaned back. "What's it going to take to end this war?"

"Dirty hands," Nayuta answered honestly. "And a whole lot of grit."

"Friends are on their way," Shunji replied, thinking of AVALANCHE. Red should have already arrived at Taromaru's palace. They just had to wait until Hokuto and Mitsuru were free. "We'll make Wutai right again," Shunji promised, taking his father's hand. Nayuta smiled.

"You make a damn pretty woman," he commented idly.

"Even all watery like this?"

"Yeah…watch your back boy. I'll do everything I can, but watch your back."

"Father, I might look delicate, but I'm still a man," Shunji scoffed, and stood to fix his makeup. "So, what's my first duty as Empress?"

"We need to get your image out and about, circulating."

"Alright. Let me just fix this."


	46. Taromaru

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **I'm always a bit torn with Taromaru...

Chapter 46: Taromaru

Red was…disturbed. He sat on the end of a chain with a jewel-studded collar around his neck, flipping his tail arrantly and watching the important men in the room with studied arrogance. He was appalled at being toted around like some common house pet, but he couldn't contest without blowing his cover. At least, he couldn't contest much. He'd made certain to snap his jaws at anyone approaching him, and had about taken off one man's leg. Taromaru, Yuffie's younger brother, was well pleased.

Taromaru wasn't clean shaven, but he wasn't a barbarian either. He was young with roguish looks, and if Red had met him casually, he probably would have pegged the kid as a mercenary. While he was ruthless and bloodthirsty, there was a strange charm and appeal about him. He smiled often and was charismatic. Really, Red supposed he could have been Cloud, if Cloud had decided to turn out wrong.

At the moment, Taromaru was discussing the war with his generals, and issuing commands. Nothing vital to Red's assignment had come up yet. Since Red couldn't just ask about Yuffie's children, he'd had to wait and play mute, hoping someone would bring it up.

"The Empress apparently escaped and they're lifting charges from her," commented a beautiful woman. Red knew her as Asa, and her cunning face was as beautiful and cold as the melting snow outside. Spring was coming, and it would make the war easier. "I suppose that fluff Doujima messed up. No doubt the Emperor knows, and so too does the Empress."

"We should make it all public then," Taromaru suggested, rubbing his chin. He selected a bone from the dinner table, and tossed it to Red. The cat made a show of snatching it up, and cracking the bones. His ears were pricked, listening intently. "We should announce the real heir and threaten openly to execute Yuffie's children if she doesn't step down." It was a real effort not to tear into the man, and a miracle Red didn't tense up. He gnawed on mindlessly, cracking the bone again to get his frustration out. A delectable bit of marrow escaped onto his tongue, and he devoured it. No sense in not enjoying this horrible situation.

"You're ready? Are there any lose ends?"

"No. Nayuta can't go through with Kale's execution with the war happening, but it won't really matter. He's not likely to expose Sonji, because that'll bring him down too, so we don't need to worry about the assassin's cover being blown." Taromaru sighed absently, and looked out the window.

"I'm not sure if I feel comfortable handing the throne over to someone outside the blood," Asa stated. Taromaru shot her a winning smile.

"Their clan was _merciless_. Wutai reigned in full power under them! We could really be a world power, the new Shinra if we wanted! I'm telling you, it'll be a thousand times better than having Yuffie softening us up with her dirty, outsider hands!" Taromaru insisted. "I've seen her power. I'm not at all worried. We'll be powerful again. You wait, Asa."

"I hope you're not on a flight of fancy."

"Have I ever been anything other then a realist? Bloodthirsty I'll admit, but a realist. I wouldn't waste my opportunity for glory and power on someone I didn't think would pull through," he winked at her. Asa chuckled.

"That is true. To a public execution!" Asa toasted, lifting a glass of sake. "Still, it is a pity we had to get rid of that red head."

"He was already spoiled by Yuffie. Of course, as cold as her bed is, who could blame her for turning to whatever filth was curious?" The pair of them laughed, and Red worked hard to restrain himself. He wondered who they were talking about. No further juicy tidbits revealed himself, and Asa left soon after that. Taromaru eventually stood and brought Red with him, into a wide courtyard still hung in snow. He unleashed the massive cat, who padded away and explored this new world.

"You're quite the present from the Shinra. I wonder if they thought I'd just hand over their friends?" Taromaru smirked, crossing his arms and studying Red. The cat ignored him, all the while keenly listening. The swordsman plopped down, contemplating Red's movements. Red put on a show, dashing through the snow, and pouncing after birds returning to nest. He avoided catching any though, and finally came back to stare Taromaru down curiously.

The pair had a silent duel, each reading the other. Red saw a curious mixture of emotion in his 'master.' There was excitement and weariness, along with the peculiar coldness that comes with blood thirst. But there was aspiration and determination, hope and joy, thrill…all of these were human emotions, things Red felt on a daily basis, had felt burning so passionately through him that sometimes it left him feeling hollow. Staring into Taromaru's eyes was like looking into the devil's. Red recognized the good qualities, and was having a time justifying to himself the evil nature of his enemy.

"You're a strange cat, you know that? I guess animals always understand people better then people understand each other." The man reached out and put his hand down on what used to be Red's man. Shunji had cut it all off. Taromaru scratched behind Red's ears, as his eyes trailed off across the courtyard. "You ever wonder if anyone will answer your roar? Someone finally called back out to me. I don't know if what I'm doing is really justifiable though. Too late to go back now though, huh cat? Plus, if I win, I'll be like a god."

Red only stared up at him, listening to him speak. It would be a matter of time before Taromaru made the announcement about the children, and Red could wait. In a week, Taromaru had not been without him. Only a little longer before the deciding move was made.


	47. Messages

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Pride!

Chapter 47: Messages

Mitsuru was uneasy as he stood beneath his uncle's rough hand. He glanced over at his brother, and they shared a look of dismay. The cameras were all focused on them, and Taromaru was speaking rapidly. The pair of them couldn't focus on anything but their fear.

The past month-and-a-half had been spent with their raving cousin, Shogo. With the convalescence of his blinded eyes, his mind had moved the opposite direction. He raved in his sleep, and was caught somewhere between reality and dreams at all times. Not being able to see hadn't driven him mad. In fact, now that he had no eyes, he seemed to understand what people were saying much better. It was _how_ his eyes had been taken.

Mitsuru had come across his cousin numerous times. In fact, they spent almost every waking moment together. Shogo wasn't always shouting about treachery and demons, and in fact, he was an adept player of tag and crafter of riddles. But when he began shouting, he was always talking about _her_.

The twins had never pieced together who she was, or what exactly her relation to Shogo was. He raged late into the night, screaming and writhing, tortured by demons he could see clearly in his blindness. Shogo never said her name, or made any allusions to her position in relation to him, as if he were frightened. He trembled and argued with himself over the truth behind his words, as if unwilling to believe himself.

Last night had been horrible. He'd wept and pleaded, begging her to undo her action. Pleading that it be a lie, that she tell him it wasn't so. Whatever had happened, it had been horrible. And as Mitsuru and Hokuto had moved to hold him in his fit, he had reached out to them, and sobbed the most horrible words they had ever heard.

"_Oh mother…oh mother, how could you?"_

Gazing into the cameras, they were unsettled. They had huddled together all night, sleepless, in fear of the truth that they understood at a base level of nebulous terror. Had it been his mother who had so relentlessly betrayed him? Was Shogo's mother responsible?

Mitsuru felt he needed to cry out and tell his mother. Taromaru had spoken to them softly back stage. His smile was a bit crazed.

"_It's almost over. You only have until your mother gives up her place, and then you'll all be dead. You understand that you can't live? Not of the real Empress is to take her place. You're between her and ascension."_ The words had been chilling, and Mitsuru wondered how he could warn his own mother. He had heard the servants whispering that the Empress yet lived.

Mitsuru _had_ to tell his mother. He had to say that Shogo's mother was had done this to her son. Something compelled him to cry it out, if only to ease Shogo's tormented suffering. He looked over at his brother, pleading for help. They glanced at Taromaru, who was distracted by his speech, and Hokuto inclined his head slightly.

"AYA!" Hokuto screamed, jamming his fist into his uncle's crotch.

"Mother! Mother!" Mitsuru cried, fleeing to the edge of the stage. "She took his eyes! Shogo's mommy took his eyes!" he screamed at the camera, before a heavy hand cuffed him and dragged him away.


	48. Duty and Love

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Thanks a million for your review, Tee Vee. I've reworked the Yuffie/Viva encounter, so other then that, nothing is different. Just skip merrily along to the second half and lemme know what you think and how you guys like it! Giraffe!

Chapter 48: Duty and Love

Yuffie listened to the report with clenched fists. Her children, her brave, brave sons. Her heart was beating faster at their message. Miho? Miho had done that? It couldn't be…

She was so absorbed in her thoughts, she didn't hear Reno come around. He groaned, and his eyes worked themselves open. They had bobbed and drifted downstream for a good thirty miles, shivering despite the southern heat, before they'd come to a town and Yuffie could drag both of them to a clinic. It was really just an old wise woman's hut, but she had accommodated them and the village had kept them hidden, even though they were in Taromaru's territory.

"You get those cigs?" he rasped. This was the first time he'd come around in a week. After being diagnosed, the woman had put him under and practically dissected him in order to put him back to rights. The damages done to his body were nearly irreparable. If it hadn't been for the intense care and 24-hour attention, he would have gone under.

Yuffie jumped and turned around. As upset as she was, she felt cool and collected. She had a directive, an aim to move towards. She could work with that she decided, pulling out a cigarette and sliding it between Reno's chapped lips. The lighter blinked into life, and she held the flame against the tip of the cigarette.

"How're you feelin'?"

"Depends on if they amputated," Reno lifted his sheets and looked down at himself. "One, two, three…yeah, I'll make it," he let the sheets drift back down, and turned his eyes to Yuffie, who was smiling.

"Always gotta make a joke," she said, and he took a long pull on the cigarette, looking like he'd never tasted anything so sweet before.

"Good ice breaker," he replied, exhaling like a satiated dragon. His green eyes flicked over her, seeming to count the number of bandages. "Any of that gonna scar?"

"The lashes on my back will," Yuffie nodded.

"Shoulda made it more painful…" Reno grumbled, blowing out more smoke.

"Don't worry about me. You just rest up," Yuffie instructed, taking the cigarette from him and ashing it. She gave it back when she was through.

"What's happened since I was out?"

"I'm apparently Empress again," Yuffie answered, clicking the radio off. "I have an exact, look-alike double standing in for me, taking all the heat."

"That's a handy meat shield."

"He's my cousin."

"Kinky."

"In other news, my children cried out over the radio that it was one of the in-laws who cut out her own son's eyes," Yuffie stated even softer, and Reno glanced up at her.

"You don't think…"

"It kind of reminds me of what Border Moon was saying…it fits together too well…with her warning for Shuya…" Yuffie shivered slightly. On impulse, she reached out and took the cigarette from Reno again, lifting it to her own lips and taking a long drag. She hadn't smoked since she was fourteen, trying it with some of her friends. Funny how well she remembered the habit she'd kicked at age fifteen. Still, the tobacco reminded her of innocent times, when she had been bursting with idealism and dreams for the future of Wutai. Not that she wasn't always a bit jaded, but that world seemed like a fairy tale in comparison. She lost track of time and space, until Reno reached up and took her wrist. He pulled her hand to him, along with the cigarette, and took his own pull. His lips brushed the pads of her fingertips.

"So what are you gonna do?" he asked, looking up at her in all seriousness.

"I'm going to go extricate my children," she stated matter-of-factly. Reno was watching her with a feline's expression, one that suited Red better then the playful Turk. His mako eyes were crawling under her skin in a fashion she wasn't sure she approved of.

"What's that gonna take?" he asked, sliding his thumb along the back of her hand and taking another drag. Yuffie leaned forward and followed suit, sitting back up and then blowing smoke contemplatively out of her nose.

"Lots of blood," she replied.

"Any of it yours?"

"Could be."

"You got backup?"

"Just me and the old conformer."

"Don't go it alone," Reno said flatly, his fingers tightening. Yuffie glanced at him, and pulled her hand away long enough to ash the cigarette. "You gotta have somebody there, Yuffie. You gotta get outta there alive."

"I don't have a whole lot of time if I want to really use the grace period Shunji made for me," Yuffie responded dryly. Reno gripped her wrist, startling her with the pressure he applied.

"I'm not kidding this time," he said roughly. "As a Turk, they curbed your ass if you got emotional…that's what they shoulda done to me this time."

"Good thing I'm not a Turk," Yuffie answered, examining the glowing tip of the cigarette. Reno made and exasperated sound in the back of his throat.

"Damn it, Yuffie! Damn you!" he growled. He looked around the room, trying to focus on something, on _anything_. "There's more to this then just your blown to bits country, your crazy, fucked up family, or even your kids," Reno said at length, looking at her severely. He was fidgeting. "_You're_ in this too."

"I know that," Yuffie scoffed, purposely dodging his words. "I'm the one who has to pick up all the shit."

"Fuck that shit!" Reno snarled. "You have to take care of Yuffie too!"

"There doesn't get to be a Yuffie," she answered darkly, the memories of her duty washing over her. Sacrifices had to be made. "I'm an Empress, not a human."

"Only because that's what you let them tell you! You're the Empress! You can make the rules!"

"It's not that easy!" she shouted to match his rising temper. "You had to make sacrifices to be who you are. They were dirty, _ugly_ sacrifices for you to be the man you are today! Well I had to sacrifice a lot of things too!"

"Yuffie! You're the fucking idealist! What happened?" Reno demanded, and opened his arms. "When did you get to be cold and lonely? When did you cut open your own throat, huh? People ain't done right by you, that fuckin' moron your husband bein' one of them. But don't let yourself be a victim. You're better then that. He's an idiot. You've got a zillion, trillion things to offer in the world, so don't go wrap yourself up in boys clothing and turn into some loveless old hag who won't take anything for herself. Come on," he pulled her into his embrace, and she folded willingly. Hot tears were in her eyes, and she let them come for herself for the first time in five years.

Reno didn't bother saying anything else or stemming the tide. He weathered it quietly, and scooted over when Yuffie climbed in beside him, holding as tightly as she dared to his abused frame. His fingers ghosted over her shoulder and arms, the other hand following the strands of her hair. Yuffie sobbed until she drifted off, and came around again some time later.

Reno hadn't moved her at all, and was soundly slumbering. He needed all the rest he could get, she knew, and just left herself in his embrace for a moment. She savored being held, savored being told it was okay and invited to cry, savored his compliments. He had been invaluable to her in all of this. That he was so badly injured galled her. Without thinking, she stretched out her neck and put a kiss on his forehead. He was sleeping too deeply to stir.

Yuffie untangled herself delicately, and tucked him in. She left the cigarettes and lighter on the table next to him, and collected her things. She had to get moving, and resolved to do everything she could to get back here and see him again.

"Sorry Reno," She said softly, pausing at the door. She had to finish things up. "I'll be back, bud. Even if it's just to say goodbye, like that damn Aeris…but maybe I won't be as clingy…" she snickered a little, and shut the door. Just as she got outside, her old phone hummed in her pocket. She'd shattered the one from the WRO, so that her siblings couldn't get a hold of the technology. It had been fun to crunch it to pieces and scatter them like so many pieces of the wind.

Yuffie opened it without stopping to look at who would be calling on this unsecured line. "Kisaragi Yuffie, sexiest Empress of Wutai," she answered, feeling in rare form after her cuddles with Reno. She tossed an affectionate smile over her shoulder at the hut. Silence greeted her and she frowned. "Listen, if you're squeamish, don't call me on my personal phone," she stated, and moved to turn the phone over to check the caller ID.

"Yuffie," said a deeply masculine voice. Yuffie's heart stopped and the smile dropped instantly from her face. The line went dead, and she felt him approach, rather then heard it. She refused to turn around, lowering the phone from her face and snapping it shut. Every bone in her body wanted to leap for joy, wanted to dance and sob and sing and crow at the top of her lungs that she was delighted to see him. But that streak in her, the wild, defiant, willful streak, refused to allow her to turn before he said something. _Anything_ would do.

Vincent stopped behind her, and they stood for a long time like that. Yuffie refused to obey his pleading will, waiting adamantly for him to really make a move, to finish this long game of chess that had frozen mid-move five years ago.

"I'm sorry…Yuffie…"

Vincent was on the ground faster then Yuffie could stop herself. As if his words had sprung a trap, she whirled around and decked him. He was knocked over before he could finish her name, and her knuckles stung.

"How am I supposed to react?" she shouted at him, her voice cracking. "What am I supposed to do _now_? Now that you're just back?" Her knuckles went white, and every muscle on her body drew taught, until it felt like lines of fire were running along the tissue. She glared at him, the unjust thought that he was the cause of five years pain and solitude devouring her. "Fucking open your mouth and say something for once!"

"I've been a fool…" he shook his head miserably, as Yuffie's fingers wanted to wrap themselves around his throat and shake him. She wanted to dump five years of alienation into him and smother him in the icy coldness of it.

"You and all of your self righteous suffering!" she spat, visibly shaking, her hands twitching. She'd never felt such anger and relief. The throat closing tears spilling down her cheeks felt like hot glass on her already raw face. She covered her eyes with her hands, before raking her fingernails through her hair. The wounds on her body ached, and the sharp pain of too much pressure on her scalp was somehow refreshing.

"On Leviathan, Vincent Valentine…" she swore, forcing herself to breath. She stared upwards at the boughs of trees, on into the overcast sky, feeling the burn of sunlight in her eyes. Yuffie knew his eyes were on her, and heard him stand with the creak of leather. "Leviathan all mighty, I wish you'd stayed a corpse, Valentine," she told him miserably, feeling the claws of his brass colored arm touch her waist.

The familiar smell of musk, gunpowder, and an unidentifiable something similar to musty books engulfed her, drawing up a thousand memories from churning emotions. She felt the worn material of his cloaked shoulder and his silky hair as he pressed himself against her. Stinging pain in her back became a crying ache as his hands fisted against the material of her borrowed peasant's clothing. His cool cheek was against hers.

Her hands untangled themselves from her hair and allowed her arms to snake around his lean shoulders, hugging him fiercely. The anger boiled and raged, her heart fluttering as boiling blood almost cauterized all the veins and arteries in her body. Rancor aside, she felt relieved and overjoyed to tumble back into the presence that had consumed her for ten years.

The words he'd spoken a moment before suddenly registered on her overloaded mind. "I missed you." His voice had been rough and emotional. "I missed you, Yuffie," he murmured again.

"Why are you here now?" she demanded, her voice gravelly. "Why did it take you _five years_ to realize it, Viva?"

"I was afraid to say that I didn't love the same…"

"You're a fucking vampire, Viva…kids like me shouldn't scare you…" she shook her head, turning her face into his neck and knotting her hands in his unruly hair. He pulled her back, and she saw with some shock the look of anguish on his face. He put a hand to her face and wiped the tears away, before placing his forehead against hers.

"Yuffie…please forgive me…"

Yuffie let silence gather around them, and couldn't think. The circuitry in her mind had blown itself to pieces under the gushing emotions. She stood with him, eyes closed, forehead-to-forehead, for what seemed like an eternity. At once, the images of her sons flung to the surface of her mind, and she began to count breaths in order to gather her fragmented thoughts.

"This is not over…" Yuffie promised him. "But I…I forgive you, Vincent…" A sudden weight threw itself off of her chest as if she'd thrown off a heavy pack. Sore but tender admiration and comradely love seeped in, faint and timid. How different things would be now was too much to think about at the moment.

"I need to save my children," she broke their moment by releasing him and pulling away. She stood with her back to him, and contemplated the thick woods.

"We've managed to install Red in the palace recently," Vincent stated quietly.

"How did you manage to pass him off as something other then the talking cat from AVALANCHE?" Yuffie responded automatically, and touched her lips. She was surprised at how naturally the conversation was coming.

"Your cousin Shunji managed to convince him to disguise his appearance enough to pass as an exotic pet," Vincent explained.

"He's so persuasive," she tapped her chin, amused. "Maybe I should leave him in as Empress." Turning, Yuffie held out her hand to him. "Are we partners again, Viva?"

"Always," he gripped her hand and squeezed it affectionately. His aristocratic face was set in earnest confirmation.

"Good, 'cuz you don't wanna know all the things Reno taught me about makin' people pay," she gave him a skeletal grin. Vincent examined her face, a spark of relief and recognition in it.

"I was a Turk once," Vincent replied. "Things were worse forty years ago."

"Parenting makes you learn to do _all sorts_ of things," Yuffie promised ominously, and when Vincent looked like he was taking her too seriously, she lifted her hands and wriggled her fingers. "_All sorts of things_," she repeated in a spooky voice. He nodded, still taking her words to heart a bit more severely then she intended. "Well, let's kick 'always' into overtime and make up for lost time. Can I borrow your phone?" She extended her hand expectantly, and Vincent provided without hesitation. She flipped it open. "Lemme guess. Shelk's two, right?"

"It's not like you think," he promised.

"I'm way out of your league anyway," she waved him off, pressing the phone to her ear.

"Did you find her?" Shelk demanded.

"You sly dog, I told you to pick a rough handsome, not girly ol' Viva," Yuffie said impetuously, and Vincent winced. Well, let him squirm a bit. She wondered if Shelk had been catching up on her growing recently. As far as Yuffie knew, Shelk's treatments to resume her natural flow of life had only just been taking affect five years ago.

"Yuffie!" Shelk cried. There was some hustle and bustle from the other end.

"I'm the ninja _goddess_! I don't kick off in itsy bitsy fires. Here's what I want you to do, my quick fingered friend," Yuffie began pacing, as Vincent watched her. "I want you to arrest Miho Kisaragi, my brother Shuya's wife. Contact my brother Nayuta and tell him to batten down the hatches. Shunji is about to get a zillion assassination attempts after the stunt my boys just pulled."

"You mean what they said about Shogo?" Shelk snapped into their old business relationship.

"Yes. I want her arrested ASAP. Hold her in the WRO questioning room. I'm going to put this war down tonight."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm getting my kids and I'm taking out Asa and Taromaru. They're gonna need a whole lot more then stitches when I'm done with them," Yuffie growled. "Any leads on Rude and Elena?"

"Thus far, it would seem that they're being held in Asa's territory."

"They're okay, right?"

"As far as I can tell. Elena keeps breaking up the servants, and Asa's miffed over it, but since you and Reno got away, she's been keeping them alive for fear of really angering the Shinra…or, Tseng and Rufus…"

"Tseng always reminded me of an oily kitten…a really evil oily kitten…" Yuffie stated suddenly, imaging the sleek man with a pair of ears and feline eyes. The superimposed image fit perfectly.

"Um, why?"

"Because he like Aeris, and Aeris was all about cute and cuddly. It was the only way I could possibly see them interacting," Yuffie shook her head. "Anyway, where the hell have you guys been? I mean, come on! Even if I didn't ask for help, I'd have thought you'd have made a move by now!"

"They've had your children for a long time…we were warned not to get involved…" Shelk said apologetically.

"I shoulda guessed, but even so...well, I'm gonna bust some heads. You arrest Miho, and go ahead and mosey on over to my place. I'll be home soon."

"Yuffie!"

"What?"

"Be careful!"

"You're such a girl. Come on, Viva and I are only going to blow the shit out of half my family and incinerate their stronghold, effectively ending the civil war and leaving the rebels leaderless. It's a shoe in victory." As a girl, Yuffie would have ended that sentence with maniacal laughter, but as a woman, when she was facing the execution of her own, she only had on a grim smile. "I promise I'll bring Viva back only slightly used."

"What's that mean?" Shelk demanded.

"Maybe I'll teach him a trick or two, a gift from one woman to another," Yuffie winked, and hung up before Shelk could protest. She handed the phone back to Vincent, who was looking her over curiously. "Come on, Vambee boy," Yuffie commanded.

"It's good to have you back," he said softly. Yuffie felt a scarlet blush shoot through her face, and looked away.

"I'm glad you came…you know…I betcha I'm the first woman you've ever patched things up with," she tossed him something of a timid smile. He nodded, serious as ever. "Let's go, Viva."


	49. Traitor

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Gasp!!!!

Chapter 49: Traitor

Miho had listened to those brats on the television, and her insides had clenched. She'd never minded Yuffie's children. Yes, they were in the way, but she had never hated them like she did now. She didn't know where Shuya was at the moment, only that she would be gone before he got back home.

"What a blundering idiot," she turned to the broad shouldered, scruffy man before her. He was reclining lazily, his eyes closed. "I can't believe Taromaru let them shout that out. Yuffie has to know after Doujima messed up and how hard it was pushed for her execution."

"That's not Yuffie, you know," the man stated. She looked at him, and frowned. "That's Shunji, Nayuta's son. He's a good double. I wouldn't have known if Nayuta didn't tell me."

"What did he tell you that for?" Miho demanded. Sonji sat up and opened his eyes smiling.

"I'm supposed to be double crossing Doujima for Asa and Asa for Nayuta. It's all very complicated. He told me because he's worried about Shunji being assassinated."

"And you're sure you're working for me then?"

"You're the only one I've thrown down my hand for, and I've followed your orders to the T. Did you want me to add fries as proof?"

"It's funny how different you are from the second generation of AVALANCHE."

"They were in this to save the world. I'm only looking to save Wutai. As far as I'm concerned, you're not really AVALANCHE if you're not in it for Wutai alone."

"How are fires ripping through the city saving it?" She went to a case sitting on the table and unlocked it, looking at the glistening red Materia. Sonji stood up and game to admire the ancient relics with her.

"Everything needs a little pruning from time to time," Sonji shrugged. "A nation is no different. When you rebuild, we'll make it stronger, and stamp out the threat of outside influence. Wutai can go back to her former glory."

"That's been my family's aim for centuries. Godo was too strong to rebel against, and the people were too unified under him. Not to mention the Shinra were breathing down our backs. But Yuffie fragmented the family by simply being a girl, and her tainted hands have made Wutai soft from the outsider' influences." Miho tapped lightly at the candy bright magic, selecting one and curling her fingers around it. "I think it's time for you to really press Godo into handing over the secret to the Kisaragi legacy. I want Leviathan. He's been doing his mad jig and holding onto it for long enough. Get it for me, and kill both him and Shunji. See if you can't take out Nayuta as well. You have the moxi to accomplish this, yes?"

"I've been ripping things apart for you all your life, haven't I? Don't you think I have the moxi?" Sonji lifted his eyebrows, smiling at her. Miho tossed the red materia in her hand, watching it rise and fall, and then letting it sink in beneath her palm. "And what are your plans?"

"I'm going to stamp out the Kisaragi blood. Where is my husband?"


	50. Father

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Finally!

Chapter 50: Father

"Have you decided to give up then?" Leviathan demanded, all of his teeth gone and his scales chipping like broken ceramic. Godo looked at him, chewing on his lip, frightened. He hadn't been so scared since he was a boy. "Your time is up. Decide now to embrace the sun and pass it along, or just hand it over to the harpies."

Godo's muscles bunched, and he rocked back and forth gently. He had been trapped here for far too long, and he was forgetting everything. He couldn't even remember the face of the mermaid girl, and he only had a nebulous understanding that there was an heir to Da Chao, but had forgotten he was the father.

"What will happen? Don't we have to protect it from them?" He asked, looking at Leviathan with terror in his eyes.

"The reason we protect it is to pass it down. You have to pull the sun out of the ocean! Hurry! It's time to wake up!" Leviathan urged. Godo swallowed hard, and was frightened. He didn't know what to do, or even how to dredge up the sun. He'd forgotten.

Godo felt the distinct invasion of an unfriendly presence, and his old habits kicked in fiercely. He sat up straighter, turning his attention away from Leviathan, and focused on locating the problem. A sword hissed free, and Godo's self preservation kicked in. There was the strange vertigo of not being sure where he was, as a floor, ceiling, and walls superimposed themselves over the endlessness of sky and sea. He could see a human on the other side, unshaven, with a calm exterior.

"State your business," he said with a razor sharp edge. An ominous feeling settled in the pit of his stomach, as a the man flung a girl down before him. Her head struck the floorboards, and she was panting heavily. Godo didn't let his attention wander, not even as the woman lifted her bleeding face to gaze up at him.

"It's time for the Kisaragi legacy to go to the heir," the man stated, bending and pulling the woman's face up. She grimaced.

"Don't listen, grandpa! I'm not the heir!" she said, and Godo's eyes flashed to her.

"Silence. You'll speak when spoken to," he snapped, again looking at the interloper. The ocean and sky were beginning to fade, while the rays of sunlight seemed to draw closer. The man smiled amiably.

"You certainly must have been a father of ice," he complimented, jerking the woman roughly. She winced and cried out, her hands trying fruitlessly to pry her assailant off. "But I'm not interested in parenting. I'm not even here to judge the way you've fractured your family. I'm here to take the Kisaragi legacy." He lifted the sword so that the blue-white steel rested lightly against her throat. Godo made no move to save her. Leviathan rumbled beside him.

"A Kisaragi's duty is to keep the legacy away from the Tanaka branch," Godo answered. "If indeed that is my heir, then it is her place to understand that our lives are better forfeit and losing the legacy then passing it on to you." The girl's voice hitched, and her eyes filled with tears.

"You would let your own daughter die?" she demanded, looking at him in terror.

"Honor and duty require sacrifice," Godo replied sternly.

"You coward!" she spat. "It's no wonder Yuffie was always gone! You're a fool!" Her eyes turned to ice, and in that instant, Godo felt something in his mind give way. The ocean and waves cracked as Leviathan's scales bristled, before everything shattered and fell away. Godo blinked a few times, and recognized again his own room, and knew that he was sitting on a futon, and not in a boat. He saw the man clearly, and he looked at the woman glaring at him with passionate hatred.

"Yuffie," he frowned, but it was not she. He knew his _daughter and heir's_ face better then his own, and this was a skilled impersonator. He thought again, and realized it was Shunji, Yuffie's reflection. He recalled something nasty that Miho had given him for a cold, and the pieces fell into place for him.

"Ah, I see now," he nodded, and pounded on his chest. He coughed, and laying his palm flat on his bony breast, used the cure magic from a materia he had entirely forgotten about, locating the source of his hallucinations and physical ailments. Pulling his hand back, a small and unrefined globe of materia rested in his palm, bearing the cause of affliction. Raw mako infused with magic that addled the mind. In short, Miho had melted a confuse materia down and fed it to him.

"I must be getting old for such foolery to get me," Godo sighed, setting the materia aside. "Now, where is my real daughter?" he demanded, looking up at the invader. "Ah, Sonji. The years have been good to you. Why are you beating my grandson?"

"Well, you're sane enough now to at least recognize him," Sonji tossed the boy aside, as Shunji persisted in his malevolent glare. "Now, how about it? I'm here for your life. Did you mean what you said about dying for the legacy."

"Every word," Godo answered, assuming a lotus position. He was weak, and working his legs into the proper bends was difficult. Sonji took dual note of this, and smirked.

"You've fallen so low, Kisaragi. Back in the war, you were a different man."

"Come back when your sixty and spent five years under materia poisoning. I'm sure you won't be so spectacular yourself," Godo answered.

"You don't mind if I look around?"

"I'm sure you've already poked everywhere you could think to. My saying don't put your nose where it doesn't belong won't stop you. Shunji, come here. I want to see what my daughter looks like these days." Godo motioned for Shunji to approach, and the boy lifted his head arrogantly. Sonji proceeded to rifle through the drawers, throwing things about. Godo motioned with two fingers, and Shunji eventually gave in and approached him.

"What do you want?" he sighed, crawling to his grandfather's feet. Godo took his chin and turned it this way and that, muttering things like an appraiser. In the mean time, he focused on the materia that had implanted in his body over forty years ago at his own coronation. He let the magic swell in him and wind around his veins, all the while heading for Shunji. The boys eyes widened, and Godo jerked his chin up roughly to keep him quiet.

"Well, either you've gotten prettier or she has. It'll be interesting to compare you, assuming I'm given the opportunity." Godo stated, willing the transaction to go faster. All the while he was testing his muscles, seeing how far they were willing to go, and hoping it was far enough to give Shunji a leading head start. "What has Nayuta had to say about all of this?"

"He's gotten better recently," Shunji answered.

"He should have been my heir. Your father's a remarkable man. Steadfast and honorable," Godo remarked. Shunji's eyes flashed.

"Are you implying Yuffie isn't good enough?"

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you had feelings for her. That would twist your world further upside down then it already is." Godo said with an icy edge.

"Only the same feelings of abandonment by my father for not being ideal," Shunji spat back, rising to the occasion as well as Yuffie ever had. Godo gave Shunji's cheek a pop, and looked significantly at the door.

"A father's job is to mold their child, whether it takes a chisel or gentle hands. You'll understand if you ever have children," Godo replied. "I imagine you'll be wanting to fix your appearance in front of your mirror after this," he sniffed, and Shunji caught the double meaning. Godo patted his shoulder, casting another cure on the boy. "Well, you're at least a decent double. You even sound like her. Get out of the way and leave business to the men."

Godo had no sooner spoke then flew across the room and locked arms with Sonji. The assassin seemed to have been waiting for such a move as he smiled gleefully. Shunji needed no further prompting, and streaked out the door. Sonji moved to grab him, but Godo put himself between Sonji and his grandson.

"You're business is here with me. I thought you wanted to know about the legacy." Godo gave him a yellow smile, his sunken face looking pallid and wicked. "Come on then. If you can beat me, I'll comply and go to Miho with the legacy, and all the pomp and circumstance of abdicating the throne to the rightful rulers."

"Your such a liar," Sonji sighed, allowing Godo to remove his sword from the wall.

"Humor me. I've done nothing but sit around for five years. I can't be so much of a challenge," Godo gave the blade a few test swings, and sorely missed his youth. Well, this was for Yuffie. This was his last present to her, the only one he could give her. It wouldn't make up for all the shit, but if he was lucky, she wouldn't curse at him so hard that he ended up a rolling corpse in his own grave with no rest at all.

Wait a minute…hadn't the walrus girl given him a Leviathan materia? Yes, it was over there under his pillow. Godo drew comfort from that. He felt Leviathan's lingering presence in his heart, a piece of him that would soon belong to Yuffie.

'_One more go, old man. We can make it happen,'_ Leviathan promised. Godo nodded imperceptibly, and caught Sonji's first strike. Youth was impatience. Thus began Godo's final waltz.


	51. Legacy

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

Chapter 51: Legacy

Shunji wasn't sure he'd ever felt the same weight on his shoulders as he did now. He raced through the halls as fast as he could, hoisting the kimono up to allow better movement. Sonji had been silent and lethal, slaying the guards along their path to reach Godo. Shunji just counted his blessings that Nayuta's room wasn't on the chosen directory.

"Father!" Shunji hissed, bursting through the shoji none to gracefully. He skittered across the tatami mats and pounced on his startled father, shaking him. "You have to go to grandpa! Sonji is here and he's gonna kill him!"

"What?" Nayuta was instantly awake, gripping his sword and hurrying to stand. "The legacy!"

"He gave it to me to give to Yuffie!" Shunji whispered, wide-eyed. He was shaking, before he started yanking the cords of his obi and tearing off the kimono. He pulled open the drawers and slid into his father's garments.

"What? What's going on?"

"Go help grandpa! I have to get to Yuffie! Don't worry about me!" Shunji whispered. Nayuta caught his arm as the boy moved to flee out the door. There was a definite slice, and then Shunji's hair tumbled into his eyes.

"You can't afford to even look like yourself," Nayuta said, taking his sleeve and smearing it over Shunji's make up. He embraced his son in a quick hug, and kissed his forehead. "Don't you look back. Not once!"

"Be careful!"

The men parted ways in the hallways, each running swiftly and silently. Godo, for all his shortcomings, had been exacting in the training of his blood. And for Shunji's part, Yuffie had made sure he was silent and deadly, allowing him no breaks or faults in stealth. Shunji extracted the phone, and pressed the key that would get him Cloud.

"What's happening?" Cloud's voice demanded.

"I need to get to Yuffie," Shunji said.

"I'll be at the front gates in ten minutes."

"Faster, if you can," Shunji replied. He hung up, and skittered to a halt as other ninja blocked his way. He looked at them, and recognized Shuya's clan. Confused and alarmed, Shunji recognized trouble as the swords came down at him. This was not the time for revelations and shell shock.

There were no words exchanged between them, only an instant shift into combat. Shunji wished he had a weapon, and recalled Godo saying once that if he didn't, then he should take one from the enemy. So, Shunji snapped a wrist and took the dagger it had been holding.

No master of kata or ninjitsu, Shunji did what he could and spent most of the time fleeing. His heart was pounding in his ears, and blows connected or missed. He was coming around a corner when a ninja popped up before him, and he had to sacrifice his shoulder to save his heart. The knife wedged deeply into his body, twisted, and Shunji cried out. He tumbled over backwards, and scrabbled on his belly to escape the pursuing enemies. They caught onto one of his feet, dragging him back and rolling him over. Shunji stabbed at what he could, managed to throw his captors of briefly, and managed to get to a window. He broke the pane and was about to throw himself through, when he was pulled back again.

The silent struggle was over in a moment, and Shunji was despairing at his failure as he watched a glittering blade arch down to strike his throat. A massive object cleaved the air over his head, and blood spattered down on his face. He yelped as another hand gripped him and dragged him back. Looking up, he saw the faint illumination of Cloud Strife's mako eyes.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, shifting the massive buster sword.

"No problem," Shunji said shakily, awestricken as Cloud swept into battle with impossible speed and grace. He had the invading ninja populace down to nothing in a minute.

"Let's go," Cloud said, holding out his hand. Shunji reached forward and felt his heart jitter as the sinews in Cloud's arm bunched and pulled him up. Shunji shook the zinging emotion off, reminding himself Cloud was straight and married. Cloud took point and they proceeded quickly down the stairs. Shunji wished his father and grandfather luck.

"Have they found Yuffie?"

"She contacted us about five hours ago," Cloud replied. "Cid's on his way here. We'll rendezvous shortly."

A sudden lancing fear wound through Shunji. His heart sped up and squeezed, and he stumbled forward a few steps. His hand reached out and caught Cloud's arm before they could go any deeper into the center of the pagoda to get to the ground floor.

"We have to get out!" he urged, and Cloud looked faintly perplexed. "My grandfather's going to summon Leviathan…it won't be like the legacy, but it'll tear the palace apart." Cloud's face cleared instantly, and he threw an arm around Shunji's waist. Shunji did his best to ignore the thrill, as Cloud barreled towards a window and flung both of them out. Free falling, Shunji looked back, and saw water explode out of the topmost tower, as Leviathan's sleek, scaly body wound out into the night sky. He proceeded to snap and snarl at the men up there, and Shunji's eyes widened.

He wanted to cry out, but held his tongue. Cloud landed roughly, and put Shunji down, still holding onto his arm. They sprinted toward the Fenrir, which sat quietly under the moonlight. Cloud hopped on smoothly, and jammed the keys on and over in the ignition, looking back at Shunji.

"Get on," he instructed, and Shunji complied robotically. He turned his gaze in the direction of the pagoda as the Fenrir snarled beneath them. Leviathan was tearing the pagoda into pieces, and Shunji could feel the great dragon's anger swelling in his heart. The sea monster swept through the pagoda, water bursting through the floors, and Shunji watched it collapse. The pagoda was no more, and Leviathan vanished.


	52. Sordid Affair

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** What is it with crazy women?

Chapter 52: Sordid Affair

Miho laid a long finger on her chin, and contemplated her husband in the garden. He had not rested since she had sent their children off to Taromaru and slain Aiko. He was back only briefly as a slight reprieve, recovering after an ugly run in with some of Taromaru's men as he attempted to help his sister, Yuffie. It was quaint how close brother and sister were. Miho had long ago done away with her blood competition for the throne.

The dagger in Miho's sleeve was easy to remove, and she approached Shunji silently. He sat with a bare chest under the moonlight, the deep scars in his back throwing shadows against the topography of his muscles. His head was bowed, and his one remaining arm rested on one knee. He didn't look up at her approach, either because he didn't realize she was there, or he was too accustomed to her surprise visits. As a younger woman, Miho had enjoyed catching him off guard, and he still enjoyed such tricks.

"Miho," he said. She continued moving forward, slowly raising the blade.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I'm sorry," he stated, and Miho paused. She recognized the tone in his voice. It meant he'd been thinking long and hard about something. "If I had paid better attention to you and the children, perhaps this would not have happened."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Miho chided, amused.

"Perhaps if I wasn't so keen to father Yuffie, Taromaru would have left our family in peace…my poor Aiko…" she saw his back muscles tense up. He had never questioned her story, and had held her for a long time. Miho hadn't felt so close to him since the early years of their marriage, when they were both still goofy children.

"It's not your fault," she paused in her approach, tilting her head. Life with him hadn't been bad, but rather enjoyable. He loved their children, and was playful and attuned to her needs. He really had never left her needing or wanting for anything, not even physical or emotional love. He was sure to be home as often as possible, even though he spent so much time with Yuffie. Miho had no complaints. "It's not your fault, Shuya. None of this is." _It's not your fault you were born a Kisaragi,_ she added silently. A brief stab of mourning shot through her.

She allayed it when she examined his back, and saw the deep gouges that had come from his dedication to his sister. As a boy, before Miho had met him, he had placed himself between Yuffie and a pack of wolves, allowing them to gouge and tear him to pieces. Shuya was eight at the time and Yuffie was six. It had been one of the older siblings who scared off the wolves. Miho couldn't remember which. But Shuya had never hesitated to place himself between Yuffie and harm, not even after that ruinous incident.

Yes, Shuya had to go. All the Kisaragis did.

Miho advanced, raised the knife, and plunged it down. Shuya was turning to look at her, and the shift sent the dagger through his shoulder. Miho and Shuya's eyes locked, and she froze. He looked at her as his face crumbled in despair, tears overflowing from his eyes. He turned around fully, and Miho released the blade. They stared at each other on their knees, ribbons of dark red slipping down his chest. Miho's eyes widened, and she followed one stream down his ribs, until it vanished beneath the belt of his pants.

Shuya's rough hand placed itself on her cheek, and she looked up at him nervously. She couldn't bear to look into his eyes, and looked away. This would be harder then she had thought…she should have killed him earlier, when it would be easier.

"Why?" he whispered. Miho glanced back up at him, and then lifted her hands and put them on his soaked face.

"Because, you're a Kisaragi. Our two families can't exist in the same place," she replied. Shuya closed his eyes, and bit back an audible sob.

"Did you ever care for me? For our children?"

"It doesn't matter," she reached around him and pulled the knife out of his shoulder. He hissed, and she pressed the tip down onto his chest. He looked at her pleadingly, and her muscles jerked to slide the knife into his heart.

Shuya was across the yard in an instant, clenching his fist and staring at the ground. He looked back at her, anger on his face.

"Was it you that killed her?"

"Of course," she replied, shifting the knife in her hand. She stood up, and prepared to face him. He was bleeding badly, but Miho knew better then to assume it would slow him down at all. He was a spectacular ninja, a man she had lauded again and again for his ferociousness in battle.

"Because she was a Kisaragi?"

"I'd never kill anyone so sweet tempered otherwise," she promised. Shuya's muscles wound tighter. Miho moved quickly, streaking across the lawn to kill him. Her execution was cut short as his fingers wrapped around her wrist in an iron vice. She felt the bones in her slender arm grating together, and struggled to free herself. Shuya wouldn't let go. He gave a twist and the knife came out of her hand. She problem solved and slammed her knee into his ribs. His grip didn't falter, only tightened, so she struck him again.

Shuya played copycat and landed a crushing blow against her side with his knee. She wheezed, and doubled over. Shuya twisted her arm further, and she arched her back up towards him. Miho had underestimated him, and she grit her teeth. Fire sparked in her, and she slammed her fist into his guts.

They grappled a moment, each one struggling for supremacy, until Miho managed to get the knife back and pound it a second time into the same shoulder. He grimaced and dropped onto his knees.

"You really want us dead?" He demanded, glaring up at her. She nodded, unable to prevent herself from admiring that determination in his eyes. He was on his feet again and before Miho could stop him, the wakizashi at his side had slid in between one of her ribs. He gave it a painful twist, pinning her against him. She wheezed.

"Harder to kill you," she gave him a wry smile. He jerked the knife, and she hissed. Pursing her lips, she whistled. Shuya's eyes snapped up, and she wrenched the knife in his shoulder free. He dropped her before she could make the third stab, and he took off before the approaching guards could capture him.

Miho dropped to her knees, and felt behind her for the knife. She winced, and left it in place.

"My lady," her lieutenant took her shoulders.

"Patch me up. I need to get to Taromaru's place tonight," she instructed. "There's a bit of cleaning yet to be done."

"Should we send someone after him?"

"Leave him…I'll finish up with him in due time."


	53. Surreal Friendships

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Chibi Chapter!

Mini Chapter 53: Surreal Friendships

"It ends tonight." Red opened his eye, rousing from the doze he'd been in, completely at the mercy of Taromaru's fingers. The man had been absently scratching Red's belly for over an hour as he waited in silence. He had an uncanny sense of things, and Red was fairly certain that the man knew who he was.

"What have you been waiting for?" Red closed his eyes and settled again across Taromaru's lap. The man didn't tense at the sound of his voice, and instead ran his nails more vigorously beneath Red's coat.

"I want to fight Yuffie," he replied. "She wasn't anything special before she left us. Once she's dead, I'll kill Cloud Strife."

"You really don't care about who's in charge, do you?" Red asked.

"Hardly. Miho just gave me the opportunity I wanted," Taromaru chuckled. "I don't think there's enough blood in the world to quench my thirst…"

"They have people called psychiatrists to help with that," Red suggested. His enemy only smiled, and traced one of the patterns Shunji had bleached and dyed along his neck.

"Some men are destined for greatness, like Cloud Strife and Sephiroth. I want to see if I am too."

Red was satisfied with the answer. He understood that yearning to prove oneself, to rise above the slate that fate had already written and set aside. They were not so different.

"You should be a plush stuffed animal," Taromaru stated. "For all those claws and fangs, your easily persuaded with a belly scratch."

"Yes, it's a flaw in my prowess," Red agreed. "Shouldn't you be preparing or something?"

"A real swordsman is prepared at all times. I have done my training."

"Good. I have this niggling itch between my shoulders." Red squirmed over, and set his head down on his paws. Taromaru laughed, and obliged. Red flipped his tail and sighed. He was comfortable in the surreal world of falsity and lies they were situated in.


	54. Old Times

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **There were some who felt that Yuffie's first encounter with everyone at AVALANCHE should have been more emotional, and in going back through it, I realized that I hadn't made Yuffie's anxiety and sentiments known. She was certainly very happy to see them again, but her mind was focused entirely on saving her children. I redid the section and tweaked it, so hopefully that comes across more. Enjoy!

Chapter 54: Old Times

Yuffie stood with Vincent at the outskirts of her brother Taromaru's city, hidden in the thick foliage around the gates. They remained out of the guards' hearing distance, waiting for AVALANCHE to assemble in full. Red of course would not be present, but the others were coming.

Waiting had Yuffie impatient and jittery. She paced determinedly back and forth, as Vincent upheld his customary silence. An hour had already passed, and she was almost ready to go in without them. She tested her legs, anxious as every second ticked by that she wasn't with her children. She wanted them back, safe, and in her arms. A sudden fit of nerves apparently had her taking a 'ready to run' position, because Vincent spoke.

"Calm down, Yuffie," he admonished. She bolted upright, fidgeting irritably. "Don't worry, we'll save your children."

"Where is everyone?" she demanded. Her mother's instincts screamed to be fed the blood of her foes. "My children are in danger!" She scratched the back of her head vigorously, mussed her hair, and stomped around in circles for a moment.

"They're coming," Vincent promised. Yuffie stopped her agitated orbit and looked back at him. "Not one of us would let harm befall them."

"Then where are they? I'm going insane!" she demanded, wanting reassurance. She hugged her arms and turned away from him, feeling her nerves grating. She heard a rustling nearby, and drew the conformer at the same time her eyes locked on the spot ahead. In a moment, a furry feline head popped out, a tiny golden crown on his head and a red cape on his shoulder.

"Cait!" She smiled, and the AI cat smiled and leaped into her arm. "It's about time!"

"Aw Yuffie! Have I ever missed you!" the cat hugged her back. "D'you have any idea how boring it is at the WRO? Not to mention the dangers Reeve puts me in these days since you had to go and get married?" Yuffie set him down and squatted as he pulled a bag over his shoulder. "These are fer you fer the operation." He produced standard WRO communication equipment and Global Tracking System. Yuffie smiled gleefully, taking the old gear and tucking the communicator into her ear and connecting the microphone to the shoulder of her clothing.

"What frequency are we all on?"

"The usual," the cat smiled jovially, skipping lightly towards Vincent and handing him the same thing. Vincent accepted it and Cait showed him the frequency.

"Hey, Reeve? You there?" Yuffie asked.

"Yuffie!" Reeve called out. Her name was repeated by a chorus of other voices. "I'm glad to hear from you. Is everyone in position?"

"In position," Cloud's even voice came. Yuffie felt a bolt of electricity as her muscles relaxed, and took a great deal of effort to restrain herself.

"Set here," Tifa agreed.

"I'm ready," Barret agreed.

"Ready and waiting," Cid's distinct voice confirmed.

"Yuffie, I need you to turn on the health monitor on the GTS watch," Shelk's even voice came clearly. Yuffie took a moment to activate the system. "All vitals are stable. Good to go Reeve."

"Oh! Almost forgot!" Cait called, waddling towards her. He pulled out a wide barreled gun. "It's a flare gun, in case you get into trouble!" Yuffie took it and belted it around her waist. She wasn't fond of guns herself, but it would come in handy.

"Alright everybody," Yuffie pulled on her game face, marveling at how natural it was to work with them again. "Thanks for coming to help. My sons are in there. Reeve, what's our plan?"

"AVALANCHE is positioned now to come in from three directions. You and Vincent from the south, Cloud from the north, and Barret and Tifa from the east." Reeve stated, immediately resuming his mantle of director. "It's simple, we'll just work our way to the pagoda. Cid will stay back as air support and evac of your children. Red will extract your children, while the other members of AVALANCHE handle the pagoda's defenses. Your task is your siblings, of course. Each of you has a signal flare, so use it if you get separated, injured, etc."

"I'm uploading the layout of the pagoda to your GTS' right now," Shelk stated. "Red's tracking device indicates he's on one of the upper levels."

"Right," Yuffie nodded, taking a few deep breaths. "I have missed these toys," Yuffie smiled at Vincent, pulling the conformer loose in her hand.

"I haven't had another voice in my head for a long time," Vincent agreed.

"'Cuz your shitty conscience kicked over when you were originally supposed to, ya damn zombie," Cid groused.

"There'll be time enough for banter later," Reeve warned the pilot.

"Let's storm the place!" Yuffie cocked her arm back and took aim.

"The object is surprise," Cloud's even voice cautioned.

"I meant ninja storming. Not like guns blazing, loud ass Barret tromping with army boots storming," she defended herself, letting the conformer fly.

"I resent that! Your scrawny ass better be glad I'm here!" Barret growled.

"You resemble it," Yuffie snorted. Her conformer glinted only once before two guards dropped to the ground, and came silently whirling back. "I'm moving!" She was already sliding through the trees, towards the city wall. She scrabbled over it, before sailing onto the quiet rooftops overhead. Her shoes made no noise on the rooftops. Vincent moved wraithlike a housetop over.

The wind came rushing over her features, smelling like spring and melting earth. There was a little smoke, but the sky was cloudless with bright stars and no moon. It was cold, and Yuffie's breath trailed in a fog after her. Her dark eyes were fixed on the faraway pagoda towering over the city. Even though it was night, the city itself glowed with lit homes and barracks. Taromaru's people were well off, the city small enough to support itself in an insular manner. The bright lights at night proved this, as light and shadow flashed across Yuffie in her single-minded determination.

"Yuffie, I forgot to mention before," Reeve broke the silence of the radio.

"Go ahead," she acknowledged.

"The assassin Sonji came for your cousin Shunji. Cloud was present to rescue him,"

"What about my father?" Yuffie's heart sped up.

"Your father and brother Nayuta's current whereabouts are unconfirmed as yet, and we were unable to apprehend Miho Kisaragi." Reeve sounded apologetic. "I'm sorry to tell you now, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Miho will be present and based on Shunji's report, it would appear that Sonji was working for her."

Yuffie shook herself, and kept going. There was no time to crumble under the implications. She was a soldier once, she'd dealt with death, and had lost a number of comrades and friends before. Caving in now would endanger her sons.

"Thank you, Reeve. I appreciate the update," she nodded, assuming the stony indifference necessary to survive as Empress. She could sort herself out later.

With her grisly task looming before her, Yuffie felt a sudden calm and collectiveness, serene as a tombstone. She moved again as she had in the WRO she realized, with purpose and determination, faith and security in her steps, certain once more of her role. And she knew that if she messed up this time, there would be no second chances. It was the past repeating itself again. An ending loomed ahead of her, and she had to find a way to overcome it.

Heat swelled in her palm, running like a streambed from the bangle on her wrist. She drew power from the materia embedded in the bangle, slipping into the dark alleys as she drew closer to the palace. The air got ten degrees cooler as she fell into the tall shadows of noble houses, running faster then she ever had before. The guards stationed within the houses never saw her come or felt her pass, although she heard Barret swear and Tifa yelp in another moment or two.

"Just my damn luck," Barret growled.

"If you weren't so loud!" Tifa chided. Yuffie wanted to say she'd told them so, but there was no place for it. She would give away her own position. Cid was snickering.

"You can call 'em, kid," he said to her. Yuffie smiled, leaping through a hole in one fence, and taking a sharp corner.

"Shaddap!" Barret argued.

Yuffie, Vincent, and Cloud proceeded without incident. Yuffie was by far the swiftest, her lithe frame dodging in and out of a world she had been a part of body and soul for all time, attuned to the silent eyes and ears of her people. It wasn't until she was scaling the grand wall around her brother's palace that her presence was noticed, and reacted to with a savagery only her people knew.

Men without fear rose to meet her, their knives and weaponry drawn in cold steel against her, each prepared to throw down his life for his lord. Yuffie met them with fire in her fingertips, unleashing a devastating attack that scattered and burned many of them. She followed through with her conformer, sending it in a gleaming arch through them. Some avoided it and some did not. A bell tolled in the courtyard as the conformer returned to her palm. She heard gunshots to her left, and recognized the speed and pattern of his fire as if it had been with her these last five years.

"Come out, come out, little brother," Yuffie said icily.

"Easy on the trigger," Vincent warned.

"I don't know if I could image a world where Yuffie had a gun," Tifa grunted, sounding like her fist was connecting painfully against someone's jaw. Yuffie smirked, and flung her conformer back into the world. A man behind her grunted as a precise shot imbedded itself in his chest. Yuffie felt the slide of Vincent's cloak against her back as he briefly landed beside her.

"Watch your blind spots," Vincent murmured.

"How's a Bar-B-Q sound?" she smirked back at him, already letting the magic well in her fingers.

"Yours was always the more volatile cooking," Vincent lifted the massive revolver.


	55. Tangled Blood Ties

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **There's a host of people in here, so don't get worried if you get a little lost. Hokuto and Mitsuru are Yuffie's children, and Shogo, Kyoko, and Yugo are all Shuya's children. Shuya is Yuffie's older brother.

Sorry it took so long to post! My internet went on the fritz! So here's a bunch of chapters to make up! Boo for fast approaching school!

Chapter 55: Tangled Blood Ties

"Hokuto," Mitsuru whispered, taking his brothers hand. They were crouched together in suspense at the reinforced door confining them to their prison. The steel cross hatches on the window cast eerie shadows on the floor, flashing with magic.

"Shh," Shogo hissed above them, his hands on their shoulders. His head was down, the bandages over his destroyed eyes obscuring the ugly scar. He moved forward silently, having memorized the room, and crawled over his younger sister Kyoko and brother Yugo. He wriggled his fingers beneath the rag he hid his handicap with, and withdrew a small fragment of something, which he proceeded to insert into the heavy lock. He fiddled a moment, and Hokuto's heart froze when he heard feet running outside. Shogo froze, and everyone waited with baited breath.

Reaching out, Hokuto took the hand of his older cousin Kyoko. She gave him a startled look, before giving his hand a squeeze and smiling nervously. The footsteps passed, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Kyoko's white knuckled grip on her younger brother's mouth eased slightly, and the younger boy buried his face in her kimono. She pulled Hokuto closer, who in turn dragged his brother with him. Shogo muttered something, and resumed picking the lock.

"Hurry! It won't be long before they come for us," Kyoko whispered. Hokuto weaseled away from his family and came to his older cousin's rescue. He slipped his hand beneath Shogo's and bargained with the lock in the same language his mother had taught he and Mitsuru.

"I'm so moving in with your mom after this," Shogo grinned, and Hokuto smiled back at him. Shogo clapped a hand on his shoulder as Kyoko pushed to the front, being the oldest with sight.

"Everyone link hands," she cautioned, lacing her fingers with Shogo's. It was funny to Hokuto, who had never seen her as very brave as she ran away and hid in the gardens whenever the family visited Yuffie at the palace. But she struck out boldly into the corridor, sneaking with them as the palace emptied.

Yugo whimpered as they hurried to slide into a room before the guards nicked them. Hokuto lifted a finger to his mouth. Yugo was a crybaby, and Kyoko looked to her brother in concern. She crept forward, and took her baby brother's face in both hands.

"We have to be brave, Yugo. Can you be brave?" she asked softly.

"I'm scared!" He whimpered, shaking his head.

"You have to be brave, Yugo. You want to be like daddy, don't you? What would daddy do?"

"He would make the bad stuff go away! But he's not here!" Yugo was trembling. Hokuto pulled Mitsuru closer to him, taking comfort in the familiarity of his twin, frightened now too.

"We'll be okay. Mommy's coming for us," Mitsuru promised.

"Daddy would keep going, and he would stay quiet," Kyoko reasoned. "Can you be like daddy? Can you keep quiet? You know, he gets scared too, but he never lets those bad men know."

"How can he do that?"

"Daddy taught me his secret," Shogo knelt, extending a hand to find his siblings. Kyoko guided him to Yugo's shoulders. "Do you want to know what it is?"

"Yes!"

"He said his secret was a smile."

"A smile?"

"Yes. He said that if he was scared, all he had to do was smile, and he would be okay. He would know that he'd make it through. Can you smile?" Shogo placed his thumbs on his brother's cheeks, waiting to know if his ploy would work.

"Like this?" Yugo's cheeks scrunched up, and Shogo nodded.

"Even bigger!" He pinched Yugo's contorted face, and the boy's breathing began to ease. Hokuto looked at his brother, and they forced smiles onto their faces too. Kyoko even allowed herself to smile, placing a hand on Shogo's shoulder and squeezing affectionately. For a moment, they all smiled at each other.

"I'm ready!" Yugo said, keeping the smile forced into place. Kyoko had them all link hands again, and they proceeded to creep down the hallways. They were just coming around a corner, as Hokuto was feeling better, and Kyoko backed them up hurriedly. Her chest was heaving, and she was trying very hard to keep from screaming. Shogo pushed the younger children backwards, edging around his sister to stand in front. She leaned forward and put her mouth to his ear, whispering something.

It was so silent that Hokuto could hear his own heart. As their ears attuned, they heard the sound of Taromaru's voice. They couldn't distinguish words, only an even tone. He had to be talking to that cat creature that the Shinra had sent to him. The boy's guts had turned when he'd seen the cold-eyed blonde with the ferocious beast on an electrified collar. Taromaru had referred to this man as Rufus, and spoke to him in amusement. The cat had snarled and chomped at the bit, even been brutally shocked once to heel it. Smoldering, the blue creature and laid down to glower at the exchange between men. It had eyed Hokuto and the other children with a great deal of interest, like it had found something particularly delectable.

The door to Taromaru's room suddenly opened, and Kyoko pulled something out of her obi. It gleamed cruelly in the fire lit hallway, and her face set and determined. She took a few deep breaths as Taromaru's easy movements vanished in their silent manner, and only the click of his beast's claws could be heard. They were moving away from the children, who relaxed a little.

"What have we here?" snapped an icy voice, and Hokuto was jerked up by the scruff of his neck. He yelped, as he was turned around to face the beautiful visage of his aunt Asa. "You know there's no playtime after dark!" The cat monster's claws were immediately clicking towards them, and it bounded around the corner with a snarl and roar. Asa dangled Hokuto like bait, and the boy screamed as the blue cat leaped for him, tearing him from Asa's fingers and pinning him to the ground.

"Mitsuru! Mitsuru!" Hokuto cried out, and his brother fearlessly flung himself onto the beast's thick neck. The cat pulled the boy off and pinned both of them.

"Let them go you beast!" Kyoko cried out, only a second later then Mitsuru had reacted. Her glittering knife sailed down towards the blue cat, but Asa's red nails curled around her wrist before the blow connected. Shogo located the strife and bowled his aunt over with a well-placed shoulder to her guts. The three tumbled over and struggled in a mess of arms and legs until Asa pressed the knife against the pale skin of Kyoko's throat.

"You want her to live, stop struggling," Asa snarled. Shogo stopped at Kyoko's cry of dismay as the tip drew a bead of blood. Yugo shrieked and ran, but Taromaru stopped him.

"Now, now, you wouldn't want to abandon your family, would you?" Taromaru asked, patting the boy's head. "Not when Auntie Yuffie is coming to play. You boys and girls get front row seats. I'll even let you make some bets."

"Leggo! You're a bad man!" Yugo shrieked. Taromaru laughed.

"We'll see how much you like me once you see your mother again," he patted the boys head. The cat growled at Asa as the woman pressed harder down on her captive's throat.

"What do you say, Taromaru? Should we start the night off with some blood? I'm sure Miho won't mind," she trilled laughter.

"You've been hanging out a little too much with me, Asa," Taromaru smiled. "I have no interest in children, and I couldn't care less. Leave them for Miho though. I wouldn't want to have to tear her throat out prematurely. She wants the honor of killing her own children."

"She's here? Where is she?" Shogo bellowed. The cat shrieked a roar into the hallway, effectively silencing everyone. His massive jaws closed around the shirts of both twins, and began dragging them down the hallway.

"This way cat," Taromaru's smile broadened. "Leave her blood for later, Asa. It might be fun to see the whelp try to kill his own mother," he added. Shogo let out a bestial howl as Asa dragged him along by the collar.

"Why are you doing this?" Kyoko sobbed. Yugo was shrieking tears, his legs refusing to move. Taromaru slung him over his shoulders.

"Nice kitty…" Mitsuru squeaked. The cat only growled, and both twins started crying.

"I want my mom!" Hokuto cried.

"Don't cy!" Kyoko commanded, her voice hitching. "Don't let them see you cry!" Hokuto couldn't see her around the cat, but he knew that she wanted to sob more then anything.

"How quaint," Asa sneered.

After some indistinguishable amount of time, the cat dropped Hokuto and Mitsuru, and they curled together, each wiping the others' eyes. Hokuto looked around him, and recognized the grand hall, vaulting into what seemed like infinity and all in deep red wood. The wooden floor stretched on indefinitely, polished to glossy smoothness. Asa shoved Shogo and Kyoko to the ground with their cousins, and Taromaru dropped his wailing charge unceremoniously. The cat snarled and began pacing before them, his one eye fixing on each child, daring them to move.

"So, I see my children are still in good health," came what Hokuto used view as a warm and friendly voice. Now, it spoke with a chilling edge.

"Traitor!" Shogo screamed, his whole body tensing. Kyoko gripped his arm, keeping him from running towards the sound. It took the entire weight of her body to stop her big brother.

"Don't! She'll kill you this time!" she begged.

"No. Let's see how you're handling your blindness, Shogo. Get up," Miho commanded. Hokuto scrabbled to his feet and dog piled onto his cousin, holding desperately to the collar of his jacket.

"Don't do it Shogo!" he begged. Mitsuru followed his twin's lead.

"Let me up! Let me up! Aiko! I swear I'll get her back for you!" Shogo yelled, shaking off the children clinging to him. He scrambled blindly forward, and the cat bellowed at him, tackling the boy to the ground. Hokuto screamed.

"Get out of the way you mangy cat!" Asa yelled, her beautiful face contorting. Her red nails sunk in beneath the collar, and she gave a jerk. The cat came away in a leap, his fanged jaws opening wide. Screams shot through the frightened children as Asa hit the floor, and Asa looked pale and shocked. She was breathing, absolutely rigid.

"Asa, Asa," Miho clicked her tongue. She stood in traditional shinobi garb, with her hair pulled back in a braid. Her silent feet moved quietly to circle the pair, the cat's teeth resting just hard enough to barely pierce the skin on Asa's throat. One of Miho's arms was belted to her side, and she looked a bit paler then Hokuto was accustomed to seeing his robust and merry aunt. "I could have told you who that beast was the moment I laid eyes on him. Really, Taromaru, I'm disappointed," Miho glanced at him. Taromaru shrugged.

"Keep your hands off of me and the children," the cat said after removing his jaws. "And you, boy, stay put," he rumbled at Shogo, placing his head in the boy's back and pushing him towards the gaggle of children. He then sat down with his back to the children, and surveyed those around him.

"Perhaps I have a fancy for the soft and cuddly," Taromaru shrugged his shoulder, merriment playing across his features. Hokuto was confused, trembling, looking on at a world he couldn't understand. Asa touched her throat, visibly shaken. "Perhaps it is soft and cuddly that can destroy the boundaries of my world, and bring peace to my raging soul," Taromaru continued his pontifications.

"Cut the bull. How long before Yuffie arrives?" the cat scoffed.

"Not long. I was going to amuse myself watching Shogo swat at his mother."

"No," was the simplistic response.

"Mm," Taromaru shrugged. "So Miho, tell me about this injury of yours. You're not usually so careless. Has Shuya softened your black heart so? Is he your cute and cuddly key?"

"Keep talking and I'll kill you too."

"Oh, you'll kill me soon enough. I'm Kisaragi after all, no matter whom I betray in my family. But that can come soon enough, once I've had my shot at glory."

"Where's my father?" Shogo demanded.

"Alive, obviously enough. This cunning bitch wouldn't be so angry if he wasn't," Taromaru answered flippantly. He adjusted the swords around his waist, and sauntered past Asa and Miho to the cat. Extending a hand, he patted the cat's head. "You've been an excellent pet. But assuming I beat Yuffie, Cloud, Miho, and anyone else that happens to stroll through those doors or blow a hole through my walls, I'm going to kill you and these children. Are we understood?"

"A hat trick, huh?" the cat answered, flipping his tail. "I would wish you luck,"

"How about a glorious and grisly end then, hmm?" Taromaru smiled amiably, and squatted before the children. "Now, I don't care if you watch, but assuming any of you get out of this alive, it could leave severe emotional scarring. Shogo, as the default elder of this party, I'll leave it up to you if they're blindfolded." Taromaru extracted silk strips of cloth, extending his hand to the blind boy. Hokuto was shaking, and Taromaru caught it. He covered the boy's hands with his much larger palm, and smiled. "Shh, boy. If you live, one of you will be Emperor. One day, you might have to do the same thing your mother is doing."

"Just whose side are you on?" Miho called, laughing.

"Silence, wench. It's not yours," he called flatly. He kissed Hokuto's head. Kyoko's delicate, pale hands suddenly reached forward and gripped his collar. She gave a mighty heave and pulled Taromaru onto his knees so that they were eyelevel.

"I will watch your agonizing defeat," she hissed. "And it will make me _happy_."

"That's the Kisaragi blood," he smiled, kissing her forehead too. She pushed him away, wiping the offensive touch away. Taromaru deposited the strips of cloth in Shogo's hands, and stood up.

"I'll finish with my children now. Come on, Shogo. Get up," Miho commanded. There was something unsettling and cold in her eyes. The cat snarled, his fur bristling.

"No," Taromaru said, and the lazy look on Taromaru's face vanished. "No one touches the children until I have my duels," he warned, a serene edge in his face that chilled the blood in Hokuto's body.

"You don't call the shots around here," Miho sneered.

"Afraid I'll win?" Taromaru smirked.

"Hardly," she scoffed. Afterwards, only explosions filled the air, dim and muffled by the thick walls around them. Hokuto looked to his cousin, who stood clenching the silk blindfolds.

"Kyoko," he rasped. "Come here," he instructed.

"I won't," she shook her head. "I'm going to watch!"

"No!" he said forcefully. "No, you're not. You don't need to see this, and neither do they." His voice was raw. Kyoko looked like she wanted to protest, but couldn't bring herself to do so. Hanging her head, she crawled towards him. In a moment, Hokuto sat on his cousin's lap, and felt the silky darkness fall over his eyes.

"What if this happens to us?" he whispered to the older boy. Shogo took his shoulders and squeezed them.

"We won't let it," he promised. Hokuto's heart steadied a little. "You're mom's coming. Save your eyes for her smile." His voice cracked, and Hokuto nodded, trying to swallow his own tears.


	56. What Must Be Done

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Go Shunji!!! Weeooo!!!!!

Chapter 56: What Must Be Done

Shunji glanced at the crew. None of them were paying attention. He slipped out of the control room, and wandered onto the deck. Cold wind blasted into his face, and he choked back a scream. Slipping across the open surface, he scurried to the side railing, and leaned over.

Below, flashes of magic illuminated the evening and were scarring the ground. He could see the earth teeming with movement as AVALANCHE confronted an army. His heart was pounding. He needed to get down there and hand over the birthright to Yuffie. He could feel Leviathan shifting uncomfortably, anxious to be with his proper mistress.

"You gonna jump?" demanded a man from the shadows. Shunji started, whirling around to face the bald man with sunglasses. He came into the light, and peered over the edge. Next to him, a blond woman appeared.

"Long way to go. Might want one of these," she pushed a backpack into his hands. Both the man and woman were wearing one. "Although I understand Wutai is big on ritual suicide. I'd forgotten about that."

"I haven't," the man said stiffly. Shunji looked between them nervously, and then realized he held a parachute. He recalled that these two had already been on board when Cloud had unceremoniously planted him in the hanger and insisted he stay put without hearing a word Shunji had to say.

"Don't you even have a sword?" the woman asked, and Shunji shook his head, dazed. Leviathan gave him a sharp stab, and he jumped to put on the parachute. Exasperated, the blonde went back into the shadows, and returned in a moment with a standard issue blade. It was still dirty. "I hope you don't mind slightly used. It came in real handy before I got my pistols back," she said, and swung one shapely leg over the railing. "I swear Rude, I'm either dying or escaping this time. I'm _not_ getting kidnapped _again_."

"You have such a knack for it," Rude answered, as if surprised.

"I need to get something to my Aunt Yuffie," Shunji said, and the two in dark suits looked at him. "Can you at least help me find her? I don't care what happens after that, I just need to get to her. I have to give her the Kisaragi Legacy!"

"That sounds like something you should do behind closed doors," the woman wrinkled her nose. Shunji's face paled as he stood appalled.

"Thank you, Reno," Rude looked to her.

"What?" she demanded. Shunji blinked, shook his head, and looked at them.

"Are you going to help me or not?" he asked, sliding over the railing and balancing on the edge. The duo looked at him.

"Whatever. Do I have to push you off?" the woman asked. Shunji answered by letting go and tumbling backwards. Both of the suits followed him without hesitation.


	57. Fratricide

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **Yay! Action!

Chapter 57: Fratricide

Yuffie pulled back the lacquered doors of her brother's audience room with a powerful heave. If she hadn't been expecting it, Yuffie wouldn't have fought fire with fire. Taromaru always opened their duals with a blast of magic before his opponent was ready. Yuffie would not fall prey to his tricks. The flames spewed between them, as Yuffie finished throwing the doors open, and then leaped into the room to avoid the series of knives landing where her torso should have been. Conformer in hand, she caught the ensuing sword blow moving to claim her head.

"Bravo," Taromaru smiled. "You didn't go soft after children,"

"At least I'm not like Miho," Yuffie smirked, throwing him off. Taromaru wasted no time waiting for her, his peculiar combination of time magic and mastered elemental spells making him particularly quick and unpredictable. Yuffie spied the children behind an enormous blue cat, and noted where Miho and Asa were. "What sort of crazy pet is that?" she asked as sparks showered down on her. The floor beneath her feet was heating up uncomfortably. She twisted Taromaru's sword and pushed backwards just in time to avoid being turned into a briquette by the pillar of fire. She flung kunai knives after her brother as he sped towards her.

"Don't you recognize him?" Taromaru asked, sliding through the smoky aftermath. Yuffie couldn't steal a glance again for a moment, completely focusing on staying her brother's hand. When their fight eventually had them turning in the room so that she could see, she recognized Red.

"What'd you do to him?" she demanded.

"It's Shunji's fault," Red called. Yuffie would have laughed, except then she'd have been cleaved in two. She grunted as her back struck the floor, and slammed her feet into Taromaru's gut. He was flung backwards, and she sent her conformer after him, drawing a dagger at her side. Taromaru managed to avoid the wicked spines of her weapon and dance away from a blast of fire. He even accounted for the return arch, and still managed to draw first blood along Yuffie's hip.

Yuffie reverted to kata after employing the use of a vicious elbow to the side of his head. Taromaru spit out a tooth and responded to the trained maneuvers with some delight. Yuffie had anticipated his disrupting blow when he broke their practiced and rapid dance at her old weak spot, one of the movements requiring her to shift her weight and lash out with the opposite side of her body. She let the sharp blade slide beneath her arm, then clamped down on it tight and twisted the kata movement with her hips and turned the high aimed kick for his knees.

"I'm impressed," Taromaru nodded, and his arm moved faster then Yuffie had counted on. His palm struck her ribs, and sent her staggering backwards. She wheezed, and spent the next several moments weaving between the edges of his sword, growing concerned as he drew the wakizashi at his side. "I'm done playing though. Cloud Strife is still to come."

"What's he want me for?" Cloud demanded. He was still outside.

"Glory hound," she sneered, and lodged a kunai knife in the floorboards, pinning Asa's flowing kimono to the ground. Her sister looked up, startled. "Not so fast, toots. I have a score to settle with you too," she added.

"Do stay, Asa. You threw your lot in with me. It's time to see what it'll get you," Taromaru agreed.

"Let me help you," Miho stated, and Asa gurgled suddenly, her eyes wide open and blind. The children gasped, drawing closer together. Yuffie would have looked over, except that Taromaru's insistent technique was the focal point of her attention. There was a wet plop, followed by a second, audible thud.

"I told you to leave the children," Taromaru said, and Yuffie's heart skipped a beat. She dared a look over her shoulder as Miho moved towards the children, who were scooting backwards and pulling at their bandannas. Red's fur bristled, and he prepared now for confrontation. A searing pain slithered by Yuffie's throat, barely missing her jugular as she reacted to what she could see from the corner of her eye.

"Don't touch them!" Yuffie spun and whirled her conformer in the direction of Miho.

"Pay attention!" Taromaru shouted, catching her wakizashi arm. She jerked away, and felt his foot connect with her lower back. She slid forward, the polished floors burning and her hands and knees. There was no time, and she clamored up. The sounds of the fight outside were getting closer. Time was running out. She had to be faster. Red snarled, and moved to attack Miho. Yuffie couldn't pay attention to them.

"What's happening in there?" Vincent demanded.

"Vince! I need you to get my children!" she cried out.

"On my way."

Yuffie grunted as she wedged her wakizashi between two of Taromaru's blades. He was stronger and she gave ground, backing up, before simply buckling her legs and falling below the strike zone as his swords came apart. He retreated now, rather then be skewered from below. It gave her enough time to recover her footing. Vincent's shots rang out and scared Miho backwards, away from the children, just as a wall in the grand room was blown open.

"Take the children," Red growled behind her. A swarm of soldiers moved in, and Yuffie was nervous.

"You're distracted," Taromaru clicked his tongue, and Yuffie felt real pain as he drew a long line down her arm, causing her to drop the wakizashi. "Pay attention to me! Look at me, big sister! _Look at me_!" Yuffie threw her head into his leering face, feeling his nose crack. Taromaru laughed, and shoved his nose with a wet crack back into place. "Brilliant! Come on now! Think about the horrible deaths I'll inflict on your children!" he urged.

The world narrowed to the light on Taromaru's expertly handled swords, flashing like lightning in a thunderstorm. Only their breathing and clash of swords filled her ears, while fear and magic overwhelmed her sense of smell. The coppery taste of blood filled her mouth as a sword butt came down on the back of her head, sending her tumbling for a moment in blindness. She just barely managed to force her limbs to respond and get her out of the way before a glittering blade pierced the floorboards.

There were screams that suddenly shook both siblings. Not because they were screams, but more because they shook the walls. Taromaru paused, his sword to Yuffie's throat, and both of them looked in the direction of Red and Miho.

The blue cat was stained red again, his jaws closing with grinding pops and wet tears over Miho's exposed throat. His claws had gouged great wounds in her chest, which leaked blood onto the floor, but the cat was not without his own injuries. Miho's dagger had thrust itself up and through his sleek and soft belly, gleaming with a vicious point from the cat's back. Miho's mouth opened and closed, working to speak, as black blood oozed out of it. She twisted the knife once.

"Red!" Yuffie screamed as the cat moaned. She scrambled towards him, but Taromaru's sword stopped her.

"Shh!" he hissed, his eyes following the tremors in the room.

Red hot lines began flowing through Miho. The wound through her translucent skin, webbing along the byways of her veins, and she arched up in an agonized moan that made the supports of the room shudder. Red gave a final twist and pull, and the part of Miho's throat came loose, leaving her dead on the floor with a dull thump.

"The Tanaka Legacy…" Taromaru breathed, his eyes widening in maddened joy as light exploded from the steamy corpse. He and Yuffie shielded their eyes, as a great shriek ripped through still air, and a shockwave leveled both siblings. The pagoda trembled and almost collapsed, while Yuffie felt the red hot heat emanating from across the room. She peeled her eyes open and looked across the floor.

"What the fuck was that?" Cid shouted. Yuffie's eyes widened at the twisting and smoldering beast, all fire and horns with vicious and crooked teeth and claws as long as she was tall. It shrieked and bellowed.

"Cloud, I need medical care for Red," Yuffie stated, her eye catching on her immobile friend.

"I'm on my way."

"Everyone, evacuate the city now. I'll do what I can here."

"Will you be alright?" Vincent demanded.

"Get my children to safety, Viva. Don't fuck up on this one, or I really won't forgive you," she promised.

"Do you have our Legacy?" Taromaru asked, looking over at Yuffie, who was in the middle of casting a healing spell for Red. She felt his partial convalescence, enough to get him away from immediate death, before turning to her brother.

"No," she stated flatly. Taromaru smiled, and stood up.

"Come on, sister. This is what our ancient blood sings for!" he urged. "Come and fight this monster with me! It's our purpose, as Kisaragis!" He held out his hand to her, a wild smile tearing his face in two.

"You're insane," she smiled wearily up at him, and gave him her filthy hand. He heaved her up, and kissed her knuckles.

"A man can only accept and embrace his personal madness. Join me in it," he squeezed her palm, and Yuffie recalled their childhood, he her most competitive of kin. They'd had some wild times together, and a piece of her rejoiced at returning to that time, no matter the circumstances. As children, they had always been Godo's least favorite, and reveled in their place together.

"I need my conformer," she said as the hulking fire beast moved towards them. She and Taromaru stepped a few feet back as the room heated uncomfortably. The Legacy moved forward, shrieking at them, its claws gouging deep ravines in the wooden floors. Taromaru laced fingers with her briefly.

"Not a problem," he promised, and they shot in separate directions.


	58. Under Estimated

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** I can't help but like Taromaru. Just a little.

Chapter 58: Under Estimated

As glorious as dueling with Yuffie had been, Taromaru felt an undeniable stimulation and exaltation in fighting alongside her against this beast of fire and talons. Her conformer soared past him, catching the beast across the nose, altering the flames the creature was casting. Yuffie followed the weapon, diverting attention as Taromaru shot ice across the floor, following it with a powerful wind spell.

Nothing was working, and it only made him more excited. Yuffie pushed off a wall, and flashed out of view. Taromaru studied his opponent, which approached him like an inevitable tidal wave. The space around them was confining, and he sensed the rising magnitude of power. Thus far, he and Yuffie had been able to contain it, but the building was beginning to catch fire and the floor was giving out. Not much longer and their barrier would give way.

"Yuffie!" Taromaru called. "Where's the legacy?"

"Father never gave it to me!" she shouted back, shooting from beneath the beast and dancing between its talons. It bellowed, long tail shattering some of the support beams. A few slabs of the roof caved, crashing down to their side, and the whole pagoda trembling. "He was already getting sick for the coronation!"

"We'll have to do without it! What materia do you have?" Yuffie scrabbled up a pillar, avoiding a belch of fire, and climbed higher yet as the beast tried to follow her up. His claws took out a sizable portion of the roof, and Yuffie managed to jockey between pillars and land close to him.

"Nothing that'll do much good against this sucker. I'm all about fire materia. It's the easiest to use," she smiled painfully. Taromaru glanced at the ceiling.

"The barrier is done for. We have to get out of the pagoda," he jerked his head. "How about we slow it down at least."

"I love demolition!" she crowed victoriously, and linked hands with him. Taromaru felt her wild and unparalleled magic, recklessly swelling and then exploding from her fingertips at the same time as his. The remaining support pillars were destroyed, and they turned together, running as fast as they could out of the collapsing building.

Taromaru had never heard such crashing and rumbling before. His heart was hammering, and he'd never been so excited. He squeezed Yuffie's hand, feeling again like a child after they'd set of fireworks together in the top of the pagoda. They had both been set on the most brutal training schedule in their lives, each one unable to move after the day was over.

"All we're missing are fireworks," he smirked at her, and Yuffie laughed at him. They had cleared the doorways and were just about to breath a sigh of relief, when the tower exploded and fragments shot over a mile into the air. Shrapnel and shockwaves knocked them to the ground, and Taromaru instinctively threw an arm over Yuffie's head to shield her. He felt something tear up his arm and lodge in his back. Various shards and bits of wood slammed into them painfully, the heat almost burned them. A scream seemed to shake the ground, and he and Yuffie both lifted their heads and looked back.

"It's like Omega," Yuffie whispered. The beast was at least as tall as the pagoda had been, and a chasm opened beside them, power tearing the ground apart. They rolled away from it, and Taromaru got to his feet. He looked at his sister and smiled.

"I think I might be in over my head," he said, and Yuffie snickered absently.

"Is everyone okay?" Yuffie asked, and waited for a response. She rolled over and gripped a gun that had been holster at her hip. A cry almost managed to tear itself out of her throat, but she restrained, dropping flat against the ground. Taromaru's eyes dropped to her leg, and saw the massive splinter jutting from her thigh. She gave him a weak grin, her face pale. Lifting her arms, she aimed the gun, and pulled the trigger.

A flare shot into the sky, screaming as it went, and exploding like a star. The snarling beast was distracted by it, and Yuffie breathed deeply. She closed her eyes and wrapped her fingers around the splinter. Taromaru stopped her from pulling it out, and cut through it with his wakizashi, before shredding his kimono. He wrapped the shreds around her long leg.

"Well, I wish I had some pain killers about now, but I imagine I could still stab his eye out with my conformer," she said. Her brow furrowed, and she withdrew a phone from her pocket. She opened it. "Yes, that was us…you're kidding!" Excitement shot across her features. She closed the phone in a minute, and smiled over at Taromaru. "Shunji! Father gave Leviathan to Shunji! He's on his way! Taromaru, we could be saved!"

"This puts such a dint in my plans," Taromaru sighed, and looked at the raging beast. "Do you suppose Leviathan can overcome it?"

"He wouldn't be a very good legacy if he couldn't," Yuffie reasoned. They paused and stared at each other for a minute, before Taromaru broke into a smile.

"It's a strange world we live in, Yuffie," he patted her shoulder, and they turned to stare at the raging goliath. Half the city suddenly exploded in flame, shooting far to the west, and vanishing into the ocean. Night became more like day.

"Thing's will be different after this," she said, looking at him. "Can I depend on you for now?"

"I would like to see the legacy." Their attention turned to the goliath again as it bellowed.

"Yuffie!" Shunji called, and Taromaru recognized his nephew as the boy threw himself around Yuffie. He smiled faintly, and then wasn't prepared for the tidal wave that suddenly threw him away from his sister, as a geyser formed between them. Water forced its way up his nostrils, and as he washed away and ended up pinned in the attic of a home. When he managed to peel his eyes open, he saw the sleek scales of Leviathan, the same color as moonlight and ocean waves.

"Beautiful," he smiled, and closed his eyes.


	59. A New Legacy

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **So close to the end!

Chapter 59: A New Legacy

Everything was sensation. Fire and ice, wind and earth, light and dark, all flashed around her. Yuffie could smell the cool, clear ocean and the acidic burn of sulfur, feel her skin hissing and sizzling. Her whole body seemed to go on forever, and the pain in her body from abuse had vanished.

_Where am I?_

"_We're in a fight. Please pay attention," _rumbled a voice softly, and Yuffie strained to open her eyes. She couldn't see. _"Relax, you're not blind. Open them slowly."_ A burn seared across her belly, and Yuffie took a shaky breath. She suddenly heard the roaring of water in her ears, and her eyes fluttered open. She sat in the middle of a watery vortex, cold foam hissing onto her skin. She shivered, her teeth chattering.

"What's going on?" she shouted. She couldn't even hear her own voice. _What's happening?_

"_Usually there's a ceremony for all of this, and we are more gradually introduced," _the voice replied. _"Technically your coronation was never completed, thanks to Miho poisoning your father. There's no time for formalities now, so you'll just have to listen to old Leviathan and take his word for it. How much do you know about me?"_ Another flash of pain lanced across Yuffie's back and side, and she gripped her arm. It felt hot.

_Nothing really…_

"_Well, you should know then that I'm a God, and your family has subjugated me to your will. If you are not to my liking, I could easily rend you to pieces, since no official contract stands between us. This mindless behemoth-"_ Leviathan paused and Yuffie's back arched with pain. _"He was a God once as well, used by the founding family before your family usurped the Wutai throne. Now, this is the place where you give me a reason to obey you and do away with him before I simply allow him to turn all of Wutai into a smoldering crater."_

Yuffie blinked a moment, not sure what to think. The water roaring around her moved closer ominously, and she batted her fingers at it irritably. The water was so cold it almost burned. She snapped her fingers away.

"_You have been unhappy since your return, forced into marriage and enslaved by your birthright. If you decide it, I will release you from your bonds to Wutai, and you can be free."_

Yuffie sat stunned at what the dragon was saying. He was not what she expected. After a second of dazed silence, she laughed. Her head tilted back and her laughter burbled up.

_What do you take me for? I've spilled blood and sacrificed for this country my whole life._ Her eyes gleamed at the water, smiling wildly. _I'll tie you in a knot, bunny-ear loops and all if you threaten my country Leviathan. You're gonna serve me even better then you served my father, you bearded snake._ Leviathan's laughter boomed in her head, shaking her very bones, and he suddenly swept through the water and beneath her. Yuffie's fingers knotted in his mane, and an exploding delight in flight erupted as the water blew apart in freezing rain.

The stars swirled into view, a black sky stretching forever over their heads. The red of the burning city was only like the golden rays of the setting sun. Yuffie lifted her head, and laughed. The wind swept through her hair. _Come on, Leviathan. Scream with me._

Dragon and rider shrieked, Yuffie throwing her arms up. She felt the thrill and delight of complete freedom, and opened her eyes again laughing. He eyes widened, and she felt the surge of power as the water in the ocean burbled, and surged inward, fast approaching them. The behemoth below them was tearing the ground to pieces, huge hunks falling away to reveal the churning core of molten lava. Yuffie smiled wide.

"_There is no power greater then that of water," _Leviathan told her, climbing higher into the sky. Yuffie knotted her fingers, feeling the water following them higher, sweeping in and flooding the land below. The behemoth screamed angrily, a mindless, raging buffoon. Yuffie could hear the mindless ramblings of his addled brain, felt the tension of water rising higher and higher, coming to the breaking point. It almost drove her mad as the world seemed to pause so high that there was almost no air to breathe with. All at once, with water roaring in her ears, screaming with the two gods, they plummeted down, rising to meet a torrent of flame.

Yuffie felt such brilliant life in her veins, every cell rushing, plummeting her towards her fate. She thought of her sons, and swelled with pride for their bravery. She thought of her siblings and their fragmented and glorious natures, the duality of their personalities, and how much she loved and hated them all, each individually. And she thought of her friends, AVALANCHE, the WRO, and was almost ripped to pieces with emotion.

She smiled. It was all she could do, pouring her feelings into the rushing water, the writhing dragon, and the faith that everything would turn out right. This was her duty, her final privilege as Empress. Yuffie Kisaragi, Empress of Wutai, was the only one who could save her country, and reunite her people. Pride and joy filled her, and she knew only the pain of fire and frigid water, and the pleasure of power singing through her veins.


	60. Comrade

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

Chapter 60: Comrade

Vincent stood with the others on the deck of the Shera, between Cloud and Cid. His fingers wrapped around the railing, trying to break it with the severity of his grip. Great steams and vapors rose when the titans clashed, fire and water writhing together, struggling for supremacy of their world. Yuffie was there, somewhere in that torrent. His heart was pounding painfully, watching the gleam of scales and the burst of flame.

"Where's mother?" one of her children, the twins he had thrown into the water demanded. They were holding tightly to his legs.

"Shh, have faith in Yuffie," Cid whispered. Vincent found himself without words again, waiting for some sign. Her communicator had gone dead just before Leviathan had appeared. No one was sure where Shunji, the Turks, or Taromaru was. Even red had limped on deck, and watched in rapt attention.

"Yuffie," Reeve breathed, and Tifa took his hand. Her other slid into Cloud's.

A solid, twisting wall of water had engulfed the faming beast, and it suddenly shuddered and boiled, before a white-hot explosion shattered one half of it. The rest simply imploded, tumbling down, before only a frothing, roiling flood gargled where Taromaru's city had once stood.

"Yuffie!" Vincent heard his own raw voice call out, jerking the railing on the Shera. "Yuffie!" he gripped Yuffie's children and pulled them from his legs, before throwing himself over.

"Vincent! What're you doin'?" Cid shouted into the earpiece.

"I'm not leaving her!" he growled. "Not this time. Not again!" His voice cracked. He landed on a roof. "Yuffie!" he yelled, his feet beginning to pound across the treacherous terrain. "Yuffie!"

He had crossed half the flooded city, searching the churning center where Yuffie's final attack had fallen, before his calls were answered.

"H-hey Viva," he heard weakly. He spun around, searching the burbling water, and caught sight of a flailing limb. "Yo!" white teeth smiled at him, and before Vincent knew it he was kneeling next to Yuffie and examining the pillar that had her pinned in.

"Yuffie," he said hoarsely, taking her face in both hands. He swiped away mud, and pushed hair back out of her eyes. In another second, he pulled her into an embrace. Yuffie didn't say anything, too tired to even react much. He released her only when he felt her shivers, and realized she was freezing. Reaching below the cold water, he pulled debris off of her. She didn't seem to have any broken bones, and he scooped her up, cradling her in his arms. She was delicate and fine boned, no heavier then the day he'd gone in after her in Sable's dark void. Her head dropped against his chest, already asleep. Vincent paused only long enough to pull off his cloak and wrap up her frigid body in it, before pulling her close again.

"Cid, I found her," he said, his voice grating against his throat.

"On my way," the pilot answered.

"How's she doing?" Reeve demanded.

"Not too bad," Vincent replied. Cheers rang in his head, and he pulled the earpiece and subsequent speakers off, silencing them and depositing them in a pocket. "Yuffie, you scared me."

"Yeah…sorry," she mumbled. "Thanks for comin'…"

"Always."


	61. Us

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **I like this chapter. It sums these two up very nicely.

Chapter 61: Us

Yuffie felt the smooth coils of dragon skin around her consciousness, sliding by like cool silk. Leviathan was tired, badly injured, but alive. She gave him a gentle squeeze with her mind, and commanded her eyes to open. They struggled for only a moment, before she saw the dim light trickling in over her head. There was something fuzzy against her cheek, and a great deal of heat on either side of her.

As her eyes focused on the plush Cait Sith, pain screamed through her pelvis and leg, and a general ache in the rest of her body made her moan. She closed her eyes again, and drew a number of steadying breaths. A hand laid itself on her forehead, and she turned to look at the owner.

"Hey," Kale said softly, his eyes studying her intensely. She blinked a few times, scrunched her face, and opened her eyes again. She was shocked and stunned to see him here.

"I feel like shit…what the Hell kinda tequila did Barret get me to drink this time?" she demanded.

"I think you binged on potions…"

"My children!" Yuffie suddenly flew up, as every bone in her body shrieked and the colors exploded in her vision. Kale was up supporting her, and eased her back down.

"Fine, asleep," Kale indicated the snuggled bodies at her sides. She glanced down at them and touched their heads, sighing as tears welled in her eyes. She took a few steadying breaths, before blinking away her relieved sobs.

"They're safe," she looked at him. A strange, choked expression graced his features, and he looked away.

"I'm a fool, Yuffie…" his voice grated on his throat. "I should have been here for you, should have known you better…we used to be such good friends…" He didn't lift his eyes as he clasped his hands and spoke. "How did it come to this?"

"I don't know…" Yuffie admitted, trying to pinpoint the exact moment they had started hating each other. "It probably started when you left my marriage bed cold for almost a year," she jibed, feeling just a little spiteful. Then again, she'd done her fair share of horrible things too. How many of Doujima's kimonos had she sabotaged? How many childish pranks had befallen Kale as she "exacted her vengeance?"

"Sure is a mess, huh?" Kale looked up slowly, a jaded smile on his face. Yuffie only nodded.

"So…what are you going to do? Your position is as horrible right now as mine is…" Yuffie stated quietly, and Kale shrugged his shoulders. He leaned back on his chair, and Yuffie observed that he was slightly unshaven and his clothes were rumpled. While his messy hair was acceptable, Kale had always insisted on pristine clothing. He must have been there a while.

"Doujima…Doujima has to pay for what she did…" his voice trembled. "Any woman that could…if she could attempt to kill another woman's children…" he closed his eyes, trying to stop the tears from coming.

"I'm sorry…Kale…but I will have to follow the laws here…" Yuffie said, genuinely sorry for his grief. Yuffie gave him a moment to regain his composure, and then forced herself to carefully sit up. She reached out a hand and curled her fingers around his palm. He responded by looking up, startled.

"I'm sorry Yuffie!" He gave her a miserable smile. "I meant to comfort you…" For the first time since their marriage even, Yuffie felt close to him. They had each been betrayed and wounded, each one facing a gruesome task, and both as lost in the lonely world as ever. She pulled on his arm, commanding him to come closer, and he carefully avoided crushing Mitsuru to bow his head into her shoulder and sob. "Oh Yuffie! I don't know what to do! Yuffie, I loved her!" he wept. "I still love her!"

Yuffie could say nothing to soothe him, and allowed him to collapse with she and their children. Their matrimonial strife seemed silly now, fading into the background. She let him cry himself out, forgiving him for his sins as she had forgiven Vincent. Quietly, she admitted her wrong doings to herself, realizing she had at times been a ghastly thing to endure, and that she had probably hurt him as much as he'd hurt her.

"What will you do?" Yuffie asked him, once his sobs had quieted.

"I don't know," he sighed miserably. "I have no idea what direction to go in."

"Forward. That's the only direction you can go," Yuffie supplied. "All anyone can do is try to rebuild what's been destroyed…"

"It sounds so easy when you say it."

"I learned it several times," Yuffie smiled. "AVALANCHE and the WRO taught me that." Kale lifted his head from her shoulder and took her left hand. He lifted it and examined the ring on her finger.

"I can't believe you didn't throw this away," he said softly.

"I'm a succor for sparkly rocks," Yuffie explained. A smile twitched on Kale's face. His eyes drifted to their children, both soundly asleep.

"What I said before, when I was angry about Doujima…I didn't mean it. I love my sons, even if I hardly spend time with them. I would like at least to be able to see them."

"Kale, our country is in ruins. Let's not start another civil war just yet," Yuffie sighed. "Your house only stayed on my side because you were on it. They'd be quick to draw blood. Until we put things back together, you and I are stuck."

"Yuffie…Doujima's crimes are my crimes. I was the one that ultimately caused everything!" Kale frowned.

"Don't be so vain!" Yuffie snapped. "Your crime was being an idiot! You sent me to court, you did all the legal things. You'll pay for your stupidity in spades later on, but I'm not about to fuel dissention in Wutai!" she snapped. Kale looked at her, again surprised. "You and I have a country to fix, and we can debate about marriage and divorce later. I can't throw her back together on my own…" she yawned, and settled her head against his shoulder. "Let's forget about sins and repentance long enough for us to sort out the country, and then you and I can decide what to do about the children and us. _All_ of your children." As Yuffie drifted off slowly, she became aware of the gradual relaxation of Kale's muscles. At length, he put an arm around her, just as she dipped into unconsciousness.


	62. Moving Forward

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** A round of applause for Shunji!

Chapter 62: Moving Forward

Shunji adjusted his solemn black kimono, and looked wistfully across whatever was left of the pagoda gardens. The funeral for former Emperor Godo and Shunji's father Nayuta had been somber and full of honor. Even still, it left him raw and aching on the inside. There was simply too much pain in him for one soul to bear. The executions of his aunts, uncles, and a number of cousins had taken place only hours before that, during the pale dawn. A few of them had gone screaming to their deaths, sobbing and wailing during the execution, and Shunji had almost been destroyed by it. He didn't know how Yuffie or Kale could take it.

Yuffie had stood before them, calling out their sentences herself, and her face had shown no compassion as her siblings were lined up. She had been brutal in her silence, but Shunji was no fool. He had seen the tremor in her hand when Taromaru had asked that she perform as his second. Kale had grimly insisted on being the second for his courtesan, and had shown no weakness. Husband and wife performed in flawless unity, but it had exacted and excruciating toll on them. To Shunji, as he stood beside Yoshitoki, holding tightly to one arm, it looked as if Emperor and Empress were murdering themselves.

Yoshitoki had been an unparalleled aid in all of this, now a month after the ending of the short and bloody civil war. Toki had organized and helped trafficking of medical care and supplies throughout the country, helping the members of AVALANCHE tirelessly. Yuffie and Kale had thrown themselves into the reconstruction of their country, Yuffie tending to the money and draining the treasury, as Kale subdued what remained of rebel forces.

Absently, Shunji wondered what to do with himself. He had always been resolved to help his aunt Yuffie in the court, to defend her, but things were different now. It felt like innocence had been ripped away from him, tearing him asunder. He wanted to be away from Wutai, wanted to get away from the pain. If life had been difficult before, it now felt almost impossible.

"What's that look for?" demanded his uncle Shuya, approaching him. Shunji turned to him, startled. "You look like you want to run away."

"Maybe I do," Shunji answered. "I feel like I've seen too much…"

"I preferred blindness as well," Shuya's face twitched in something like a smile, and set his elbow down on the railing. A grimace passed through him and he adjusted his weight. There were bandages visible beneath his black kimono.

"What now?" Shunji asked. Shuya's marred face turned to his nephew and a bitter smile moved his lips upward.

"We move on. What's done is done."

"Can that really be all?" Shunji demanded, an edge of irritation in his voice. "How can things ever be alright? How can…how can we move on?"

"You're a Kisaragi, Shunji. Our privilege and damnation is to rule. There is nothing _to_ do but move on and undo what our own have destroyed."

"How can you even say that? How can you just pick up and keep going?" Shunji demanded accusingly. Shuya's smile grew more tender and sincere, his eyes moving over the palace grounds.

"I have four children left…four of the greatest treasures in the world, to bend my life towards healing." His answer stopped there, and he stood up again. He turned his eyes to his nephew. "Has Yuffie told you her plans for you?"

"I've hardly had a chance to even look at her since everything happened," Shunji answered bitterly. Shuya smiled.

"Your fathers lands, as well as those belonging to two of our sisters. She needs you to govern them and root out traitors," Shuya explained. Shunji was impressed at the offer, and had to admit to himself that he was well pleased. The realization that it was bought in blood made him shiver. "You don't have to decide now. You have time. Yuffie said that if you'd like, you could go for a vacation, or finish your studies at Icicle Town before you assume your responsibilities. It's up to you, but she needs to know very soon if you'll be taking over the management of these provinces."

Shunji passed a hand over his eyes, and looked over the gardens. He was tired, weary down to the bone, with responsibility looming before him. Suddenly he felt old.

"I don't know, uncle Shuya," he said miserably.

"It'll come, boy. It's in our blood to keep going." Shuya patted Shunji's shoulder, and left the boy alone. Shunji smiled faintly.

"How could I possibly say no? After everything that's happened, I couldn't just leave her," he said after Shuya. "But it doesn't make the doing of it any easier." Feeling his weak resolve at least beginning to find its foundations again, Shunji made slow progress towards his temporary quarters at a nearby inn to change into something he could move in. Afterwards, he intended to aid Yoshitoki in supplies.


	63. Loose Ends

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **This chapter makes sense in the grand scheme of things, but Tennouji was between a rock and a hard place. I always kinda liked him...

Chapter 63: Loose Ends

Reno ran his hands along his smooth throat. A shave did wonders for a man. He hadn't seen Yuffie in a long time, and the reason for his shave was that he had a mind to track her down. At least he wanted to look decent for her, not that it was noticeable to anyone who examined his rumpled suit and messy hair. Still, he felt cleaned up for a man just out of intensive rehab and hospitals. It had taken six surgeries to ensure that he'd be fine, with various tears in his muscles and a few damaged organs. The healer woman had done an incredible job of keeping him alive, while the hospitals had done the finessing to get him up to par.

With a slight, but noticeable limp, Reno exited the hospital for what felt like the first time in ages. He winked and smiled at some pretty nurses, and was signing himself off before the gorilla woman who had taken brutal care of him.

"Well, Shinra slave master," he said conversationally, filling out paperwork. "I'm free of your clutches at last, and there's nothing you can say about my posture anymore." He slumped his shoulders with a significant exaggeration, and she snorted.

"It's your problem when you get to be a hunch back and the girls think you're hideous,"

"Chicks dig old guys." Reno flicked the pen in the direction of a decrepit old man with nurses tittering laughter all around him and blushing at his dirty words. The nurse, despite having to crane her head back to see him, seemed to still manage the feet of looking down her nose at him. She hadn't ever smiled at one of his jokes.

"The sooner your gone, the sooner my nurses can focus on their _real_ jobs," she informed him.

"Give them some recovery time though, huh?" Reno suggested. He received another snort. "Any idea where that Empress might be?"

"With _her_ people," the nurse stated emphatically. "Which is where you should go," she added. Her significant look was not lost on Reno, but he smiled and chose to ignore it.

"What? You sore I'm not kissin' ya goodbye?" he asked, signing his name. The nurse just glared, not even dignifying the response with a noise. Reno turned and walked away, wondering if there would be two almond shaped holes in his jacket by the time he got to a taxi. Reno waited until he was outside to withdraw his cell phone and press the number two speed dial, a direct line to Rude.

"How's physical therapy?" Rude asked.

"Oh it's been grand, although I will miss that pretty nurse with the big eyes. She had quite the program," Reno answered.

"I thought you weren't done for another month?"

"Look, I've been cold turkey a whole month," Reno complained. "If I don't get out and have a cig, I'm going to explode. Elena back with the boss yet?"

"She landed last night," Rude confirmed.

"I bet she hasn't slept a wink." Reno hailed a taxi, and folded himself into the backseat.

"Where are you going?"

"I've got lunch with Tennouji. Hey, think you could find our patroness?" There was silence on the other end, and Reno's smile faded. He knew very well Yuffie had been avoiding him. She'd been wrapped up in her country, he knew. He watched every one of her reports with rapt attention, listened to every single speech, and kept tabs on every event. Oh, she was busy alright, but he would bet his life that if she really wanted to see him, she'd have made time. "I'm not gonna jump her bones. Just wanted to get in a last word before we're off," he promised, although he quietly admitted to himself that if there was any opening for something, he'd tackle it.

"I'll see what I can dig up," Rude answered, and hung up. That was fine by Reno. He was silent the rest of the trip, before getting out of the car before a fancy restaurant. The car he'd rented through another contact sat in the parking lot, sleek and shimmering, and he pulled it open, rooting for the keys and pulling out a pistol. Himself, he was a fan of a good nightstick, but he'd do with Elena's preferred weapon of choice. Holstering the gun, he entered and smiled at the hostess.

"Reservations under Tennouji," Reno informed her.

"Your other party's already arrived," she smiled. "Right this way."

Tennouji was once more surrounded by a slew of women, all fawning and crooning over his magic tricks. He was shuffling cards and guessing numbers, appeasing their tittering company aptly. Reno waited patiently for him to wrap up, before he slid into his seat.

"You're indestructible. It's decided." Tennouji gave him a relieved smile. Reno smirked back, waving the waitress away.

"Well, riddle me this," Reno suggested, taking over the conversation and not feeling the need to be indirect. "Did you know that they were going to pin Doujima's 'assassination' on the Empress?" Reno demanded. Tennouji held up his hands.

"You left me little choice, my friend," Tennouji replied. Reno bobbed his head, feeling anger shoot through him. He schooled his face into a mock smile, making sure to keep his eyes down. "I have my family to consider. I thought you understood."

"I do, and if it was just me, whatever." Reno nodded, still smiling. "However, you made the fatal mistake of assuming I would bite the dust, and going ahead and pinning my actions on the Empress." His voice was edged in steel now. Tennouji's smile fell away.

"_Never_ get in deep with a job. That's the first thing anybody in our world learns."

Reno pulled the gun out and aimed between Tennouji's eyes. "Whoops," Reno smiled viciously as Tennouji's eyes widened. Before the man could protest, the back of his head exploded and the gunshot echoed in the background. Reno flipped a few bills on the table and turned to limp away, not even bothering to look back at the shocked yips and shouts of those around him.

Rude was seated in the driver's seat of the rental car when Reno got out there. Reno didn't bother asking how he'd arrived, and instead just climbed in the passenger side and leaned back.

"Feel better?" Rude asked.

"I kind of like justice," Reno smiled, leaning back and closing his eyes. He was tired already. His stamina would take some rebuilding. "Find her?"

"Just take your nap," Rude answered, as if offended that Reno should think he hadn't. Reno smirked and hunkered down.


	64. As It Should Be

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N:** This stuff should just come naturally to Yuffie and AVALANCHE, no matter how long they've been apart.

Chapter 64: As It Should Be

"To Yuffie!" The toast was unanimous, crowed at the top of eight pairs of lungs, as Yuffie cheered and thrust her mug in to join theirs. It had been a month of hard labor, days of torturous suffering, culminating in the death of her family members and funerals. Now, in the evening, after she had collapsed sobbing in Cid's chest, Yuffie felt truly at home. Her children were tucked in, her family set about their chores, and she given time to share with her friends.

She had been jittery initially, but that vanished quickly enough. Fighting Taromaru with them had dispelled all her anxieties about friends and family, and she stood once again raw and uncut before them. They had welcomed her back, equally as relieved that the silence between them was broken.

At the moment, Yuffie was sprawled against Red tentatively, wary of his injury, as he curled around her like a custom pillow. They were all seated at a low, circular table, comfortably settled amidst pillows, with all the shoji thrown open and the lanterns lit. The cool spring evening was peppered with fireflies, as music and cheer thrummed through the whole Inn. The Empress' joy seemed to once again be leaking into her people.

Cid and Barret sat on either side of her. It was Barret's turn to roll the dice in their drinking game, and they clattered about in his vast palm. Yuffie waited in anticipation, Cid's cigarette burning brightly in her peripheral vision. At the moment, Cid and Tifa were tied in sobriety, closely followed by Barret and Yuffie. Cloud sat with bright cheeks and a glassy gaze, that rare smile painted over his face in stubborn glee. Yuffie had never seen him this drunk before, and it made her feel wonderful that he'd smiled so welcomingly back at her when she'd timidly knocked on the door to he and Tifa's room.

"I know you're holding out," Reeve frowned at Shelk, as Yuffie reached back and tangled her fingers in Red's half grown mane. He glanced up at her, but she was focused intently on the close proximity between Vincent and Shelk. The uncustomary envy felt strange in her chest, and she was having a time keeping her face from turning green. Vincent had placed himself beside Shelk without a second thought, with Cloud to his right.

"Reeve, you're eyes are dilated and your body temperature is unusually high," Shelk informed him. Red's paw nudged Yuffie's leg, and she looked down at him. He gave her a wry smile, allowing it to lift the corners of his mouth in something of sardonic amusement.

"Green really isn't your color," he stated.

"Green is the color of blossoming spring and blooming youth," Yuffie countered, lifting her nose. "Of course it's my color."

"My dear, you're a grown woman," Red contradicted, exposing his half red, half indigo belly with a bit of maneuvering. Yuffie smiled down at him, listening to the dice hit the table and the explosion of sound, before curling her fingers and working her nails across Red's soft belly, careful to miss the convalescing scar there. "Your color should be red," the cat said blissfully.

"Keep up," Vincent suddenly appeared beside Yuffie. He lifted her mug and brought it to her. She gave him a crooked smile.

"You're the devil," she told him, taking the heavy glass and throwing it back. After slamming it down with a satisfied smack of the lips, she lifted her pinky and flexed it. "You just gotta be so damn sexy and wrap us girls all around your little finger." Vincent wasn't sure how to answer. He searched the grain in the table for something to say, looking unfazed by the drink.

"Excuse me," he said at length, muscling in between she and Barret. Shelk shot a suspicious look between them, and Yuffie shot her a face across the table. While there was some serious triumph in it, Yuffie was sure to incorporate something of a goofy cross of her eyes, trying to reassure her would be rival that nothing was going to crop up now. Vincent had made his feelings quite clear five years ago, and again at their last meeting. Shelk was certainly looking more womanly these days, shaped much as her elder sister Shalua had been. It was becoming, Yuffie forced herself to admit.

"So Yuffie, what will your next decree as Empress be?" Tifa asked from across the table. Yuffie looked away from Shelk, considering the question. She propped one elbow on the table, tapping her fingers along her glass. Cid reached into the middle of the table, lifting a new pitcher and pouring more beer for the next round.

"I need a vacation…" Yuffie answered. Tifa laughed.

"Shera and I are going to Costa del Sol this year for our vacation, no boys allowed. We're leaving the kids in charge, and we're doing outrageous shopping, massages, spas, and all the dessert we can eat." Tifa pushed Cloud's shoulder at the mention of leaving the kids in charge. "You game?"

"Only if I can flop on the beach and not move for three days," Yuffie replied.

"You'll turn inta a potato chip," Barret stated. "Lookit cha, ya look like a ghost."

"And here we find Barret, a massive, lumbering creature, soon to be extinct for his incompetence with females," Yuffie threatened.

"You ain't no bigger 'n the runt you was," Barret growled back, more bark then bite.

"What's that you say? I can have this Ice Materia?" Yuffie tossed the glittering orb up and down in her nimble fingers. Barret hunted for it in his gear, found the empty slot, and held out his hand. "Oh no my friend, you'll have to gamble it back."

"Some things never change," Reeve smiled. "I bet you could still rob us all blind."

"Wutai needs all the money it can get," Yuffie tossed six other Materia onto the table, followed by Cid's pack of cigarettes, his lighter, the spare ammunition from Vincent's Death Penalty, and Barret's wallet followed. "How's about some Texas hold 'em while I can hold anything?"

"Sure," Vincent flipped one of Yuffie's hair ornaments onto the table.

"VIVA LA VALENTINE!" She crowed, shaking the other ornaments loose.

"I _knew_ you were a negative influence!" Shelk looked between Vincent and Yuffie. Yuffie gave her a superior smirk.

"C'mon, you've had a five year monopoly," she answered, as Vincent shifted uncomfortably. "What're a few bad habits?"

"Enough talk, ya buncha girls! I need my cigs!" Cid declared. Yuffie threw the deck of cards at Cloud.

"You deal, boss guy," she instructed.

"I don't even know how to play Texans Hold Them," Cloud argued, his smooth brow furrowing. Eight sets of eyes turned on him in glee, thrilled at the prospect of fresh meat. Cloud looked around the table, and was shocked when even Tifa was sizing him up with the rabid eyes of a predator.

"Tonight will be good," Yuffie nudged Vincent. "You just keep yer eye on Reeve. He don't look it, but he's a master of poker with that smooth face of his. I'll handle Cid, and we'll split the winnings eighty-twenty."

"You're sure you only want twenty?" Vincent frowned.

"What're you gonna do with eighty? Upgrade to a not rotten coffin?" Yuffie demanded. "Maybe refit the windows, do the floors again, huh? Don't you want to donate to the Wutai Fund?"

"Fifty-fifty and we'll do dinner," Vincent persuaded.

"Tempting offer," Yuffie scrubbed her chin, pausing to think it over. "Nope. I want the eighty and dinner."

"Spike, you shuffle like a girl!" Barret taunted. Cloud ignored him pointedly.

"Oh, give me the cards," Reeve commanded, taking them with nimbler fingers.

"Sixty-forty," Vincent said.

"I'll take that sixty," Yuffie nodded. "Dinner still in or no deal," she admonished with a finger. Vincent gave her a solemn nod. "Remember, watch Reeve. I've got Cid."


	65. Silent Vows

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.

**A/N: **I just love Yuffie and Reno as a couple. Dunno why. They just seem to fit together pretty well 'cuz their personalities seem similar to me. Not the same, just similar. So this is my story! Thanks to all those who gave input and followed it through! You guys rock! Warm fuzzies to ya and if I had a glass of wine with me at this very moment I'd toast to your health and longevity! If you guys were feeling generous and really wanted to, or like the Legacy of Kain game series, I posted one other oneshot fic there, called Cider. Not nearly as warm and fluffy as this one but I like it. Give it a shot if you feel like humoring me one last time. Thanks a bajillion again!

Chapter 65: Silent Vows

Yuffie had always been about motion. She was a ball of energy, constantly changing. Reno hesitated in approaching her, watching from the relative safety of the shadowy courtyard. She was sitting in a vibrant slant of light, counting her winnings with rapid fingers, sorting and separating a collection of items that would have drawn every magpie in the country if she was any less possessive.

Reno had gotten used to seeing her elaborate hair and breathtaking kimonos on the television in press conferences, and was accustomed to her tomboy clothing and the dirt that often streaked her body and face. He wasn't prepared in his vulnerability for coming across her with mussed, loose hair and a bright, yellow, pink and orange yukata, or summer garb. For some reason, with the light and shadow playing off of her features, and the girlishness of her position, Reno wanted more then anything in the world to belong seated on that porch, right next to her.

Vincent Valentine stepped onto the veranda beside her, stooping so that they were closer to eye level. Some of the light caught in his red eyes, and Reno watched Yuffie's eyes flash up at him and her expression soften. He'd seen that look before on women, and it almost drove a knife through him. He stopped himself from moving, not sure if he'd have picked a fight with Valentine or gone the other way. Instead, he bunched his fists in his pockets, and just kept watching.

"What's your schedule tomorrow?" Vincent was asking.

"I'm headed down south, to mediate in some territorial disputes and legitimacy issues," Yuffie answered. She sighed deeply, and turned back to her organizing. "Never thought I'd be much of a negotiator, huh?" Her smile leaped to her face, sparkling in her eyes. Reno recalled the night at the bar when Yuffie had looked at him similarly, and smiled at his foolishness.

"Maybe yuki means purging snow," Vincent offered. Reno let the inside joke pass, as Yuffie laughed. He reminded himself they had a great deal of history together.

"Hope so," she answered. "You better get back to Shelk though. I think my face might melt off if she keeps looking at me like that." Yuffie put her hand behind her, and stuck out her tongue at someone in the room. "You better fix your face before it gets stuck! Hell, even _I_ could beat you in a beauty pageant if you froze like that!" she teased.

"I am _not_ jealous!" another woman shouted back, as roaring laughter ensued. Vincent's smile flickered for a moment, before he stood and returned back inside. Yuffie waited a moment, and then stood up. Reno thought for a moment he'd missed his chance, before Yuffie lifted one of the hanging lanterns and slung it over her shoulder, leaving her winnings behind and marching straight for him.

She stood taller then him on the veranda, smiling into his face, crisscrossed with leaf patterns where he stood half obscured by a bush. He gave her a wry grin, scratching the back of his head.

"I hate it when I get caught," he said sheepishly, looking up at her.

"What is it with you old men?" Yuffie demanded. Reno just had to look up and admire her, seemingly thousands of feet above him. He wondered if he smelled flowers or if she wore perfume. "Somethin' on my face?" She scrubbed at it.

"I just like it," Reno answered. That delicious blush started to surface, but she stamped it down determinedly.

"You wanna walk?" she asked, stepping down off the veranda. Her small feet touched the ground, and somewhere Reno recalled that was taboo.

"No shoes?" he looked down at her toes.

"Shoes are for wimps." She struck out through the courtyard, and Reno took two brisk strides to catch up with her. They walked side by side for a while, Yuffie still carrying the lantern over one shoulder. She hardly looked like an Empress with her hair tangled and her feet collecting dirt and flecks of mud leaping onto her shins.

"You have to go back to Edge soon, huh?" Yuffie said, and Reno just nodded. "That'll make things dull."

"Aw, I'm touched." Reno smiled, really delighted. "You kids are always so cute, wearin' your hearts on your sleeves."

"Yeah, that always seems to bite me in the ass," Yuffie groused. Reno didn't doubt it. He wondered where they were going as they emerged onto the main streets, still bustling with activity. It was just after dark, and the city was still lively as workers made their way to restaurants for food stipends or bought meals, depending on their situations. Yuffie didn't seem bothered as she wove through the crowds, her little frame fitting easily between the small gaps and tight spaces in the flow of things. Reno had a considerably more difficult time, bumping and brushing people.

"I got lots of things to thank you for," Yuffie suddenly appeared on his arm, and Reno adjusted it so her fingers would fit better in the crux of his arm.

"Oh yeah?"

"Don't play dumb, Turkey." Yuffie pulled him aside and flipped a few coins into the hands of a merchant, before collecting five sticks of incense. Reno looked ahead of them and saw Da Chao rising before them, and on the road to it, a host of shrines and temples. He had an idea of where they were going now, at least.

"I told ya, I'm always with the prettier girl," Reno shrugged. Yuffie laughed.

"You're sight's getting bad in your old age," she teased him, snaking her arm through his again.

"Respect your elders. Isn't that a main tenant of your society? Where _have_ manners gone these days?" he sighed.

"I'm an Empress. It goes Empress before elders."

Silence stretched between them, and Reno enjoyed having Yuffie on his arm and their shadows leading the way, thrown onto the ground by the lantern over Yuffie's shoulder. Her feet made no noise, while Reno's shoes scraped a little on the pavement, the smells of the city falling into the background. She smelled like secondhand smoke and he realized she was wearing just a little perfume. Fireflies drifted lazily around them, something like an electrified snow globe as they moved farther away from civilization. Yuffie sure knew how to set a mood. He wondered if it was conscious or not.

She stopped at a massive, gnarled old tree. It rose high above them, and Yuffie let go of his arm. She stuck the pole into the ground, the lantern bobbing a little. Squatting before the writhing roots, she lit the incense sticks in the lantern's candle, before setting them in a stone basin jutting from between the roots.

"There was a shrine here a long time ago," Yuffie said absently. "Nobody believes in these gods anymore. I think I'm about the only one who ever drops by." Reno watched the embers of the incense fade, and the curling smoke rise and brush Yuffie's face. He smelled cedar. She stood up, and turned to face him, arms crossed. "You're very different from who I always thought you were. I bet I don't even know half the stuff about you. You're what, ten years older then me?"

"'Bout that," he nodded, amused by her statements. He had an itch to smoke, but squelched it. His nerves would _not_ get the best of him.

"It seems like a long time, ten years…" Yuffie said. Her eyes lost track of their time and space. "Then again, it's been ten years since Meteor. Feels like yesterday I swiped everybody's stuff and ran off with it."

"What'd we come up here for?" Reno asked.

"The view," she pointed. Reno turned, and looked across the vast expanse of Wutai. Without ice and snow choking it, it glittered like a gem, the lights dancing in the evenings, the street expanding forever in gold, red, green, and white illumination. "Maybe you'll come back to see it some time. When the pagoda's finished, you'll have to come see it from the top floor. You can see forever, and stare right into Da Chao's eyes even."

"You know, I kinda like the view from sea," Reno said. He looked back at her, and saw the faint confusion and unease in her eyes. "When I was younger, I came in at night to Wutai. It was the first land I'd seen in two weeks, and it was about the prettiest thing in the world. 'Course, then it was all torn up from the war. Never forgot that view though, seein' the lights come up the hill. Somebody with magpie eyes like yours would like it. I'll show it to ya, next time I visit."

Yuffie tried to contain her smile, but couldn't. So she let it bloom across her face, exuding delight and anticipation. Reno felt strange for a moment watching her. Wutai felt suddenly like home, despite all the strife and chaos, all the fighting, the years of enmity.

There were complications to all of this, no way for it to be perfect. And yet somehow, standing with the fireflies and the shrine forgotten and devoured by an ancient tree, it was perfect anyway. Duty, society, and any number of other things divided them, but it wasn't enough to keep the distance between them, an easy stride so they were an inch apart.

That was all it took. Reno's fate was sealed, in a moment of perfect bliss. It wasn't long, not nearly enough. There were people waiting for both of them, lives that would inevitably separate and command them apart. But just for a moment, it didn't matter. It wouldn't matter ever again, as far as Reno was concerned. Not so long as she would have him when the boundaries of their lives could mesh and blur together.

Walking back was blissful, and dressed as they were, it allowed them in the chaos of reconstruction to lace fingers. Nothing was said, understanding and contentment needing no words. It wasn't until Yuffie climbed with muddy feet back onto the veranda that they released fingers, and Yuffie hesitated. She opened her mouth, distressed suddenly, and Reno shook his head.

"I know." They stood, staring at each other. Yuffie reached into her sleeve and pulled out a tattered wallet. Reno lifted his eyebrows, watching as she went through his credit cards and cash.

"No pictures at all, huh?" Yuffie asked. He shook his head. She smiled, and pulled something else out of her sleeve. She stuffed it in, and tossed him the wallet. "Elle sent that to me. I've got an extra copy in my secret stash." Reno looked at the picture of them sleeping from the bar. They looked like children.

"I think that's the most innocent expression I've ever seen on your face," he gave a low whistle. Yuffie smiled.

"I'd invite you in for a beer, but you'd better not drink and fly."

"Yuffie?" called Tifa. Yuffie rolled her eyes skyward, ducked down, and dropped a chaste kiss on his lips. She was too fast for him, and he cursed his recovering body.

"It's your own fault for bein' too sexy," she tossed over her shoulder, her spry feet carrying her inside. Reno didn't loiter, knowing better. He wasn't a mooning youth anymore, however much he wanted to go toss pebbles at her windowpanes. Well, there'd be time for that later. Plenty of time, he reassured himself.

Rude was snoozing in the car. Reno could tell by the relaxation in his partner's usually severe face. He tapped lightly at the window, and Rude came to. He unlocked the doors, and Reno slouched into his seat.

"So?" Rude asked. Reno didn't say anything, focusing intently on the inn. He wished he belonged, just so that he could sit next to her openly. That wasn't his place though. "Elena's going to have a field day."

"I could be in deep shit," Reno leaned back, feeling a sudden surge of glee. He was giddy. How long had it been since he was giddy? Rude glanced at his partner as he backed out onto the street.

"Good," Rude approved.

"Good?" Reno laughed.

"About time."

Nothing else was said about it. It didn't need to be. For the first time, Reno felt like everything was right in the world.

- Fin -


End file.
